The Audi RS Q8 is an SUV with immense power and performance figures right out of the factory, but what happens when the owner wants more? German tuner Manhart Performance has the answer with the limited production RQ 900 which delivers Lamborghini Urus-beating specs while spicing up the exterior for added exclusivity. The Manhart RQ 900 was announced more than a year ago with a set of renderings previewing the final model. Today, Manhart is back for the full reveal as the first of the RQ 900s is ready to be delivered.
The RS Q8 is fitted with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 producing 591 hp and 800 Nm of torque in stock form. Manhart brings that to 905 hp and 1,180 Nm of torque, making it more powerful than the equivalent offerings from Mansory, ABT Sportsline, and MTM. In fact, this is the second most powerful tuned RS Q8 behind Wheelsandmore’s 996 hp proposal.
In order to achieve this power boost, besides reprogramming the ECU Manhart engineers added an Eventuri carbon intake, their own intercooler, turbo performance kit, and sports downpipes with 200-cell catalytic converters (the latter two are not approved by Germany’s TÜV). They also updated the automatic gearbox to handle the immense torque. Manhart didn’t give us any performance figures but we expect the RQ 900 to be considerably faster than the stock model which accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 3.8 seconds and has a top speed of up to 305 km/h.
Visually, the RQ 900 is far less subtle than the stock RS Q8. The gold graphics all around the body are contrasting with the black shade and blacked-up details. New parts include wider fenders, a front splitter, side skirts, a double rear spoiler, and a more pronounced diffuser. As for the new stainless steel exhaust system, it comes with active valves and four 100 mm tailpipes with ceramic or carbon coating.
The huge Manhart “Classic line” wheels finished in matte black with a gold ring measure 24 inches and are shod in 295/30 ZR24 front and 355/25 ZR24 rear tires. The stock air suspension is also lowered by 30 to 40 mm, while Manhart offers optional upgrades for the braking system if you are not happy with the Audi Sport carbon-ceramic discs. The interior gets golden accents on the dashboard, center console, doors, and steering wheel, matching the exterior graphics. Manhart added their own floor mats and new leather upholstery with decorative stitching all around the cabin.
If you are an Audi RS Q8 owner and want to transform it to a Manhart RQ 900, you will need € 22,500 (US$ 26,699) for the extra performance, € 24,900 (US$ 29,547) for the bodykit, € 839.5 (US$ 996) for the decals, € 9,900 (US$ 11,748) for the wheels, € 831.93 (US$ 987) for the suspension-lowering software, € 8,437.82 (US$ 10,012) for the exhaust/downpipes and € 29,900 (US$ 35,480) for the interior upgrades. So in total, the conversion will cost you € 67,409.25 (US$ 79,989) without VAT, plus of course the cost of the donor car.
