According to the sources, Audi is currently developing an all-new luxury Sports Utility Vehicle dubbed the Q8. As the name suggests, the car will sit above the current Q7 in the German brand’s range of SUVs and by just one of many new models the automaker will reveal by 2020. This follows on from recent reports an Audi Q9 is in the works as well.
The Audi Q8 has been give production approval within Audi and consequently, it’s hoped to introduce within the next 3 years and will be followed by other Sports Utility Vehicles including the Q1, Q2, Q4 and Q6. The automaker is so invested in this plan that it predicted by 2020, SUVs will account for 40% of its annual sales bringing total yearly sales to around 800,000.
The all-new Audi Q8 is being specifically designed and engineered to target places like the United States, the Middle East and China and in essence, will be very similar to the Audi A8 under the skin except for the larger body and all that goes along with that (new suspension, larger wheels etc). For range-topping Audi Q8 models, adjustable air suspension is likely to be used.
The Audi Q8 will be more than five meters long and in entry-level form; will be equipped with 3.0 liter turbocharged V6 petrol costing around 50,000 pounds. In top-of-the-line Audi RS Q8 guise with 4.0 liter V8 twin-turbocharged engine, expect that price to increase to around 90,000 pounds.
The Audi Q8 will ride on an evolution of the MLB platform (called MLB Evo) and the lightest version will tip the scales at less than 4409 pounds (2000 kg). This will be possible by using a combination of CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastics), thinner gauge high strength steels and aluminum.
Visually, the design of Audi Q8 will be led by Marc Lichte, new Audi design boss and is set to feature a quite sporty and aggressive design. It will appear more streamlined unlike the Q7 thanks to a new raked rear window. The vehicle will ride on the new MLB platform being developed by the Volkswagen Group and set to be used on cars like the 3rd-gen Cayenne and Cayenne Coupe, Lamborghini Urus, the Bentley SUV and next-gen Volkswagen Touareg.
Slated to release sometime in 2017, the base model will be available for the price of about £50,000 (€60,800 / $84,700) whereas the aforementioned Q8 RS is going to be priced at approximately £90,000 (€109,500 / $152,400).
