Audi India has launched its flagship SUV the Q8 . and has priced it at Rs.1.33 Cr is (ex-showroom pan India). The Audi Q8 becomes the flagship SUV for the German brand in India and it is positioned above Q7. As of now the Q8 will be brought in as a complete built unit (CBU) , and its limited to 200 for now. Available in one variant only, the Audi Q8 comes with petrol option only.
Commenting on the launch, Mr. Balbir Singh Dhillon, Head of Audi India, said, “With the launch of the Audi Q8, we are targeting individuals who want their car to match their personality. Each Audi Q8 will be made-to-order, available with a plethora of customization options to choose from; we want every Q8 in the country to look different, from the outside and the inside. The Audi Q8 will be imported to India as a fully built units and there will be only 200 units on offer. The launch of our new flagship SUV marks the beginning of a power-packed year for us and we are confident that the Audi Q8 will attract enthusiasts who enjoy driving.”
Also Read our full Interview with Mr. Balbir Singh Dhillon, Head of Audi India
Talking about the Q8 the first thing that strikes your eye is the bold design.We will start to see this new look design language on many of the upcoming Audi SUVs such as the Q7 and the Q3. Right up front the massive grille grabs your attention highlighted by sharp LED lights.To accent the grille the bumper has air dams that give it a mean muscular look. The side profile of the Q8 is very distinct with clean bold lines that highlight its coupe like body style. The steep sloping roof line at the back tapers down into the massive light bar cluster on the tailgate and looks stunning when it’s lit up giving it a futuristic look once all the LED’s light up.
The Audi Q8 being the flagship SUV comes with all the bells and whistles in terms of interior creature comforts. We got to see a glimpse of this in the recently launched Audi A6 that featured the dual touchscreen displays that are haptics sensitive. The display controls are split among the two display is one for navigation and media and the other one for climate control settings. The cabin has a very minimalistic look to it that has become a common theme for the Audi interiors.
Audi is only offering the Q8 with one engine option that is petrol 55 TFSI unit. It is a 3.0-litre V6 turbo petrol engine with a mild 48 Volt hybrid system combined with the engine to produce 340 bhp of power and 500 Nm of torque. Performance for the Q8 with this motor is it does 0-100 kmph 5.9 seconds and has a top speed of 250 kmph. The Q8 is also equipped with active air suspension and it can be raised and lowered by up to 3.5 inches.As of now Audi has not said if they will get any other engine options but this is in line with their plans of having an all petrol engine line-up of cars in their stable to comply with the Bharat Stage 6 norms. Read our full first drive review done by our editor-in-chief Sirish Chandran where he drove the Audi Q8 55 TFSI in Dubai or Check out the video review below.
The Q8 up against some tough competition like the Range Rover Sport Porsche Cayenne and BMWX6. Audi have said the Q8 is a low volume product and only intended to raise awareness of the brand among its customers that want the top of the line Audi SUV.