Audi RS Q8 Performance first drive review: The fastest production SUV around the Nurburgring

Let me start by saying that I love hot-hatches the most. But in India, where potholes masquerade as craters and speed breakers resemble mountain passes, an SUV makes far more sense. Sure, they aren’t known for their nimbleness, and they won’t humble a sports car in a straight-line sprint. But somewhere, someone took that personally–and thus, the performance SUV was born. The love child of brute force, agility, comfort, and character.

And if you’re talking about performance, you’re talking about Germany. A country infamous for Adolf Hitler but revered by us enthusiasts for something far more important—automobiles. The land of Audi, Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and the ‘Green Hell’ itself, the Nurburgring Nordschleife. And for this story, I got my hands on the fastest production SUV to ever lap the ‘Ring—the 2025 Audi RS Q8 Performance. Buckle up.

Audi RS Q8 Performance design

Can’t stop staring? Me neither. The Audi RS Q8 Performance commands attention like a rockstar entering the room. It’s sleek, sharp, and downright menacing. The press car was bathed in a fiery Chili Red, but if I had my way, I’d spec it in the Audi Exclusive Merlin Purple colour.

The facelift dials the aggression up to eleven. Sporty elements are no longer optional–they’re standard. On the front, the singleframe grille, air vents, and bumpers have been redesigned to look more aggressive and sportier. The headlight design has also been updated and now it also has six different light signature options, and can instantly be changed by clicking a few buttons on the info screen. Move to the rear, and the honeycomb bumper and redesigned OLED taillights add to the visual drama. It rides on 23-inch alloys wrapped in low-profile rubber, hiding 420mm RS carbon-ceramic brakes that could probably stop time itself. You also get frameless doors, and the sloping roofline, complemented by the RS spoiler makes the whole car look mean and proportionate. You get the Black Styling package as standard now, with the badges and logo finished in black.

Audi RS Q8 Performance engine, performance and handling

Now we get to the good stuff. These paragraphs contain exactly what the car is also called – performance. Change is the only constant, and gone is the time when you could only buy a sedan if you want a performance car. The Audi RS Q8 Performance is the only model in Audi’s lineup in India which gets a V8 engine. The 4-litre twin-turbo V8 engine has been retained, but power has gone up by 40bhp and 50Nm, and it now pushes out 631bhp and 850Nm. Adding honey to the mixture is the 48V mild-hybrid system that assists during acceleration. As a result, 0 to 100kmph comes up in just 3.6 seconds (claimed). Not like you would be able to reach VMAX, but if you were to take the RS Q8 Performance to the NATRAX, in Indore, you could top out at 305kmph. The RS sport exhaust system is standard, and boy, it's melodic. It sounds throaty, aggressive and is loud. Warm up the engine enough, and it also does the traditional pop and bang ceremony, with the valves open.

You get eight drive modes–Off-road and All-road modes lift the suspension for bad roads. Efficiency, Auto, and Comfort modes keep things civilised. But the real fun lies in the RS1 and RS2 modes, because they can be configured according to your liking. I kept RS1 mode to just be like the dynamic mode, but the suspension lowered completely and valves open. In the RS2 mode, I configured the car to be at full potential and traction control was turned off. I can’t even begin to explain the amount of torque steer that comes through when you completely go pedal to the metal in this mode, but most of it is contained and synchronised because of the Quattro AWD system. The engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic, and it lets you take full control of the gears if you slot the gear lever into manual. Paddle shifters also do let you take control, but it automatically upshifts once you hit the 7000rpm redline.

The suspension and damping is very well-tuned and has the right balance between sporty and comfortable. In fact, I was a little surprised how it could be so planted and so comfortable at the same time. My instant comparison was the Mercedes-AMG GLE 53, and I have driven that car for a fair bit. I tend to drive that car like a sedan because of the suspension stiffness–I always fear cutting a sidewall on the tyre or damaging the suspension, and the firmness is very evident inside the cabin. But there’s nothing of that sort with the RS Q8. It’s more planted than I expected it to be at high speeds, and even after riding over a big pothole it won’t make you ask for forgiveness from the car or the passengers inside.

Usually the tyres scream for mercy when I’m hurtling the car down bends to test its limits, but in the RS Q8, there was no tyre squeal. None. It was doing what it was meant to do, and cornering was complemented by the rear-wheel steering. If your eyes were to be shut and opened only mid-corner, and you were to be asked what type of car you’re in, the most immediate answer will be a hatchback. It doesn’t handle like an SUV, but more like an AWD hot-hatch. After all, it is the fastest production SUV around the Green Hell, and it’s not one of those weapons that can only be tamed by professional racing drivers.

Audi RS Q8 Performance interior and features

Step inside, and it’s familiar Audi territory. The layout mirrors the Q8, but with RS-specific touches. You get the same 10.1-inch infotainment screen, 12.3-inch digital cluster, and a 8.6-inch screen for the air-con controls. However, this being an RS, the cluster has sporty RS specific displays with shift lights, for the RS modes. You also get a high-quality 17-speaker 730W Bang and Olufsen sound system as standard, but I would spec it with the optional 23-speaker 1920W Bang and Olufsen system. RS Sport seats with cooling, heating and massaging functions are available as standard. The heated steering wheel, and centre armrest along with a few other parts are wrapped in Alcantara with contrast stitching, which adds to the sporty character.

Audi RS Q8 Performance verdict and price

Driving the Audi RS Q8 Performance was nothing short of an event, especially on roads that I know like the back of my hand. The Audi RS Q8 Performance combines the best of all worlds – looks, performance, handling, and comfort. It’s also safe to say that at this price point, there’s no better SUV to drive in the market. In fact, even if you go a few crores north, the RS Q8 Performance would still remain as one of the best SUVs to drive. For those who didn’t know, the Lamborghini Urus shares its chassis, engine, and tech with the RS Q8 Performance, and features a different engine and suspension tune. And the new Urus SE is only two-tenths of a second faster than the RS Q8 Performance, but is priced at a ₹2 crore premium over the RS Q8’s humble ask of ₹2.49 crore (ex-showroom). The RS Q8 is a steal deal, if you ask me.