The Audi RS Q8 Performance is - as all high-end Audis are - an almost frighteningly high-tech vehicle that combines cutting edge computing and sheer raw power to make it an audacious and immensely powerful SUV that consistently defies expectations for a vehicle of its size and mass.
At the heart of the RS Q8 Performance is a twin-turbo 4.0-litre petrol V8 engine, shared with performance siblings like the Porsche Cayenne Turbo and Lamborghini Urus, that is essentially the cornerstone of its sheer physics-defying nature.
Producing a frankly unnecessary 471kW and 850Nm, the German V8 is both silky smooth and utterly ferocious, capable of propelling the big 2300kg SUV to 100km/h from a standing start in 3.6 seconds.
Audi says the V8 in the Performance model is the “most powerful combustion engine ever offered in an Audi Sport model” and, while its acceleration can be described using words like “violent” and “terrifying”, its true party trick is its utterly relentless way it delivers its power - it comes on low and just keeps building, feeling more like EV acceleration than pretty much any ICE engine I have experienced.
This is no doubt a factor in the RS Q8 Performance being a full six seconds faster than the pre-facelift model around the fearsome Nürburgring Nordschleife (it did it in 7 minutes 36.698 seconds, breaking the SUV lap record, if you must know).
Remarkably, this comes without Audi feeling the need to further electrify the RS Q8’s V8, sticking with a 48-volt mild-hybrid set up rather than moving to a plug-in hybrid to boost low down performance. This means there is no pure electric range, although the RS Q8 can sail (ie; shut the engine off and coast on the hybrid system) at open road speeds, and will also deactivate four of its eight cylinders under light throttle loads.
Rather delightfully, Audi says it has reduced the amount of insulation in the car to let more of the mighty V8 engine sound into the cabin. In Dynamic mode, the rumbling baritone is enhanced by a volley of pops and bangs on the overrun, creating a surprisingly raucous noise for such a big, luxurious SUV. And I like it.
While the acceleration is wonderfully relentless and almost EV-like, this illusion is somewhat shattered by the eight-speed automatic transmission's slightly abrupt and jerky nature in its most aggressive mode. But this aggression from the transmission does pair rather nicely with the belligerent exhaust bellows, bringing some old-school charm to the otherwise very modern performance.
But the most striking aspect of the RS Q8 is its utterly uncanny handling for a large SUV.
Of course, the RS Q8 also looks the part, with its bulging wheel arches and array of scoops and intakes. Audi claims the exterior was inspired by the legendary Group B S1 quattro rally car, although that is quite hard to see. Maybe if you squint? Or suffer serious head injury? No, I’m not seeing it, sorry Audi…
The facelift also brings minor changes to the grille and some new matrix LED headlights, along with a beefier rear diffuser, as well as the optional lighter 'motorsport-inspired' 23-inch alloy wheels fitted to our very red example.
Inside, the RS Q8 delivers typical Audi class and quality, providing a spacious and refined cabin dominated by wall-to-wall touchscreens, including a 10.1-inch infotainment unit stacked above an 8.6-inch screen dedicated to climate controls. A new Alcantara-clad steering wheel and a gear selector covered in Dynamica microfibre are the biggest changes inside, while the Performance version adds extra RS stitching to proceedings.
But the most striking aspect of the RS Q8 is its utterly uncanny handling for a large SUV. And this is where all that high-tech stuff really comes in.
Audi’s quattro AWD system can channel up to 80 percent of the torque to the rear axle, with a default 40/60 front-to-rear split, and is equipped with an active torque vectoring limited-slip differential.
Does anyone really need such a super-powered, super-size SUV? No, of course not. Now want? That is something else altogether...
The adaptive air suspension features revised damper rates and a 48V anti-roll system that helps keep the car on an even keel and under strict control when going through corners at ludicrous speeds, while the four-wheel steering system can turn the rear wheels up to five degrees opposite the fronts at low speeds for agility, and 1.5 degrees in the same direction above 60km/h for stability.
The steering, while somewhat mute in feel (hey, it’s a modern performance SUV, they are all pretty much like that…) is well weighted, quick and reassuringly hefty, providing confidence in corners, while the carbon-ceramic brakes are almost ridiculously powerful, fade-free, and cope remarkably well with the challenge of stopping a 2.3-tonne SUV.
Despite its performance focus, the active air suspension and anti-roll system ensure the RS Q8 Performance is unbothered by minor imperfections in the road, and provides a refined and premium SUV feel around town. There is an underlying firmness to the ride even in its softest setting, but this is only really an issue of particularly poor road surfaces (yes, we do have a lot of those) while the RS Q8’s sheer size, especially on narrow and twisting roads, is never far from your mind.
Of course the Audi RS Q8 Performance is excitingly expensive, starting at $284,990 in New Zealand - our test car landed at a hefty $317,990 thanks mostly to its optional wheels ($5000), RS Design Package ($7500) and matt carbon/black styling package ($12,000) - but despite this, it is something of a bargain for a huge, super-fast performance SUV, undercutting the likes of the BMW XM that starts at $305,900, the Bentley Bentayga V8 that starts at $370,000 and Lamborghini Urus that has a starting price of $395,000.
Ultimately, the RS Q8 Performance has about as much regard for practicality and rationality as it does for physics - which is almost none. It is ferociously fast, truly surprisingly agile, and hugely high-tech and luxurious.
The RS Q8 is a remarkable performance SUV that is both brutally muscular and slickly refined.
It packs as much Audi into the fast SUV package as it is possible to get and is enjoyably silly fun, but does anyone really need such a super-powered, super-size SUV? No, of course not. Now want? That is something else altogether...
How much is the Audi RS Q8 Performance?
A lot. But then at $284,990 it is still cheaper than all of its direct competitors. And faster than a lot of them too.
What are the key statistics for the Audi RS Q8 Performance?
The Performance gets an upgraded version of the standard RS Q8's 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 that has been bumped up to 417kW of power and 850Nm of torque. It sends this through an 8-speed automatic transmission to all four wheels.
Is the Audi RS Q8 Performance efficient?
For a massive 2.3 tonne V8 SUV with truly ferocious performance, it's surprisingly good. Audi claims a combined average fuel consumption of 13.6l/100km for the RS Q8, which is actually easy to better when driving it in a reserved manner. Drive it like the lunatic it is and you will blow that right out however. And, yes, I am fully aware that calling 13.6l/100km "surprisingly good", when in any other circumstances you would describe it as "horrifying".
Is the Audi RS Q8 Performance good to drive?
While the physics-defying handling is utterly remarkable on a theoretical level, the reality is coloured by the fact that the RS Q8 is massive and you genuinely notice it on the road. That said, it is actually quite engaging, despite the mute steering and will certainly appeal to an existing Audi owner.
Is the Audi RS Q8 Performance practical?
The Q8 in general isn't as practical as its squarer Q7 wagon sibling, but it is still a practical car simply because its sheer size makes it capable of swallowing quite a lot. Cabin storage is plentiful, while boot space is slightly compromised by the sleeker roofline.
What do we like about the Audi RS Q8 Performance?
There's a clue in its name: performance. The RS Q8 is a remarkable performance SUV that is both brutally muscular and slickly refined. It goes very fast indeed, but always remains civilised and is supremely capable.
What don’t we like about the Audi RS Q8 Performance?
Like all big fast Audis the steering keeps you at a distance from the real action, despite the drivetrain's best efforts to suck you right in. And there is always that lingering question about why this is all necessary...
What kind of person would the Audi RS Q8 Performance suit?
A madman who values performance over everything else and, for some reason, also needs a huge SUV that is slightly less practical than the other massive SUV in Audi's line up.
