Up until now, every single RS Q8 prototype tested by
Audi in public has featured at least some camouflage around its fenders, side
skirts, front fascia and rear bumper. This one however is different, because
all it’s wearing is an Audi Sport livery. We can finally take a closer look
at its large air intakes (both front and rear), the bespoke rear bumper,
aggressive-looking side skirts and what we hope is a set of production-ready
wheels.
Compared to the recently-unveiled SQ8, the RS
Q8 has a much more dynamic stance. Its intakes are considerably larger, the
front bumper looks sharper, as do the side skirts. At the rear, the diffuser is
chunkier and features dual-pipes instead of a quad setup, which is typical of
RS models.
As for the interior, we expect it to build on what
we’ve already seen inside the SQ8, meaning sportier seats and more lightweight
materials (carbon fiber). This prototype happens to be equipped with a roll
cage and Recaro racing seats, but all of that is for track testing purposes
only.
Powering the RS Q8 will be the VW Group’s 4.0-liter
twin-turbocharged V8 unit, which already makes the Lamborghini Urus an
extremely fast family hauler. Unlike the Urus though, it’s been reported that
the engine will be de-tuned from 641 HP to somewhere around the 600 HP mark, so
as to not step on the Lambo’s toes.
We’re not sure if Audi will include the RS Q8 among
its debuts in Frankfurt next month, but we expect the Ingolstadt brand to
unveil the production-ready performance crossover before the end of this year.
