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Need a new SUV? Luxury Q8 arrives SA, new design language for all future Audi models

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Image: MotorPress
Image: MotorPress

Positioned as the halo vehicle to Audi’s Q model range, the new Q8 has arrived in South Africa. What's more, its design will featured on all future Audi models!

The Audi Q8 measures 4.99m meters long, 2m wide and 1.71m tall, the SUV coupé is wider, shorter and lower than its Q7 sister model. With a wheelbase of nearly 3ms, it offers a spacious interior that rivals its direct competitors.

The three-seat system in the rear can be slid forward and backward as desired. With the seat backrests folded down, the luggage compartment under the power rear hatch holds up to 1755 litres.

New presence for the Q family

The exterior design of the Q8 will follow into all new future Audi models. With its imposing single frame in octagonal design, the Q8 is the new face of the Q family.

The brawny radiator grille stands upright and, together with the spoiler that has been drawn toward the front and the large, highly contoured air inlets, emphasizes the self-confident look. A wide mask optionally finished in a contrasting colour connects the Singleframe to the distinctive headlights. The elegantly sloping roofline terminates in gently inclined D-pillars and rests against the quattro blisters above the wheel arches, which house up to 22"' Numerous details echo the design of the Ur-quattro.

audi Q8

                                                                                                  Image: MotorPress

The new colour Dragon orange, which is exclusive to the Q8, dramatically underscores the sporty design. Standard HD matrix LED headlights illuminate the road. Here both the three-dimensional signature of the daytime running lights and the taillights have a digital character.

audi Q8

                                                                                               Image: MotorPress

Engine

The new  Q8 55 TFSI is equipped with a six-cylinder spark-ignition engine with three litres of engine displacement and direct injection that produces 250kW/500Nm.

The Q8 sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds. Its maximum speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h. An additional engine variant in the form of a 3.0 TDI (45 TDI) will be available in South Africa from mid-year 2019.The Audi Q8 55 TFSI consumes between 9.1 – 8.9 litres of fuel per 100km, corresponding to 207 – 210 grams of CO2 per kilometre, depending on the chosen equipment level. Standard capacity of its fuel tank is 85 litres.

The drive train is particularly efficient thanks to the new mild hybrid technology (MHEV). The 48-volt main electrical system incorporates two important technology modules: a lithium-ion battery and a belt alternator starter. During braking, it can recover up to 12 kW of power and feed it back into the battery. The MHEV technology enables long coasting phases with the engine deactivated and a start-stop range that begins at 22 km/h. In customer operation, it reduces consumption by up to 0.7 litres per 100km.

Suspension

With as much as 254mm ground clearance, short overhangs, quattro permanent all-wheel drive and hill descent control, the Q8 can keep going when paved roads end. The suspension with damper control is standard.Audi offers the adaptive air suspension with controlled damping as an option, with either comfort or sport setup. It adjusts the ride height depending on the driving situation and the driver’s preference by as much as 90 millimetres.

Besides the standard progressive steering, whose steering ratio becomes increasingly direct the further the steering wheel is turned, Audi also offers the option of all-wheel steering. It can turn the rear wheels as much as 5 degrees – counter to the direction of the turn at low speeds to increase agility and at higher speeds in the direction of the turn for better stability.

Luxury lounge

The interior of the Audi Q8 is a luxury lounge. Easy-to-understand symbols stand for the digital precision from Audi and for the high level of integration of architecture and operation. The central element is the top MMI touch response display. With its black-panel look, it almost dissolves into a large, black surface when switched off.

All elements refer logically to one another, from the flat air vent strip to the wide console on the centre tunnel bearing the tiptronic selector lever. In the dark, the contour light traces the distinctive design lines of the interior and provides backlight for the three-dimensionally lasered quattro badge above the glove compartment – an example for the love of detail at Audi.

Audi offers the contour/ambient lighting package as standard in the new Q8. This lighting package attractively showcases the interior.

In the indirect ambient lighting radiated from a surface source, the instrument panel, door linings and centre tunnel seem to float, while the precise contour lighting traces the distinctive design lines.The numerous colours and materials that Audi offers in the Q8 impart the elegant interior with a high degree of exclusiveness and a sporty atmosphere. Even the entry-level seats are covered with cricket leather. Above these are a choice of selections, which features Alcantara/ leather combination or Valcona leather.


audi Q8

                                                                                                 Image: MotorPress


audi Q8

                                                                                                  Image: MotorPress


audi Q8

                                                                                               Image: MotorPress

Standard equipment

An extensive list of standard equipment is available on the Audi Q8 55 TFSI quattro tiptronic:

• 4-way lumbar support for the front seats

• Additional front underbody guard

• Anti-theft wheel bolts and loose wheel warning

• Audi connect (Limited features)

• Audi drive select

• Audi music interface in the rear seat area

• Audi pre sense basic• Audi smartphone interface

• Audi virtual cockpit

• Auto-dimming interior rear-view mirror, frameless

• Bluetooth interface

• Body-coloured bumpers (full paint finish)

• 20 inch Cast alloy wheels, 5-arm style, 9J x 20

• Collapsible spare tyre

• Comfort automatic air conditioning system, four-zone

• Comfort key with sensor-controlled luggage compartment release

• Contour/ambient lighting package

• Cruise control system incl. speed limiter

• Electric steering wheel adjustment

• Electromechanical power steering

• Exterior mirrors, power-adjustable, heated, folding, auto-dimming with memory, front pass. ext. mirror lowering function

•HD Matrix LED headlamps with dynamic turn signal

• Headlamp washer system

• Headlight range control

• High-Gloss styling package

• Hold assist

• ISOFIX child seat anchors and top tether for the rear bench seat

• ISOFIX child seat anchors for the front passenger seat

• Cricket Leather upholstery

• Leather steering wheel, 3-spoke, with multi-function Plus and shift paddles

• LED rear combination lamps with dynamic turn signal and animation

• Luggage compartment cover

• Luggage compartment lid, electrically opening and closing

• MMI Navigation plus with MMI touch

• MMI Radio plus with MMI touch response

• Mild hybrid chassis

• Operating buttons in black glass look with haptic feedback including extended aluminium look

• Panoramic glass sunroof

• Parking aid Plus with 360° display

• Power-adjustable front seats including memory feature for the driver seat

• Bang & Olufsen sound system with 3D sound

• quattro (with self-locking centre differential)

• Rear bench seat Plus

• Regenerative braking

• Roof spoiler including centre high-mounted stop lamp

• Scuff plates with aluminium inserts in front and rear, illuminated, with "S" logo in front

• Seat heaters in front

• Side airbags in front and curtain airbag system

•Stainless steel loading edge protection

• Standard suspension with damper controls

• Surround view cameras

• Tyre pressure monitoring system

auid Q8

                                                                                                Image: MotorPress

In addition, three S line packages are available locally to order:

the S line Black, S line Platinum and S line Sports packages. In an effort to reduce complexity and configure their vehicles with a defined, packaged, sportier look, South African consumers can select between a S line Black package (S line exterior; high gloss black package; exterior mirror in black; black roof rails; 22” wheels; Adaptive air suspension; brake callipers in red); the S line Platinum package (S line exterior; single frame mask in platinum grey; 22” wheels; Adaptive air suspension; brake callipers in red) or the S line Sports interior package (4-way lumbar support for front seats; adaptive air suspension sport; decorative inserts in matte brushed aluminium; headlining in black; pedals and footrest in stainless steel; S line logos on exterior; scuff plates with aluminium inserts in front and rear and illuminated with S logo; sport seats in front and stainless steel load edge protection).

Pricing:

The Audi Q8 55 TFSI quattro tiptronic will be priced at R1 388 000 standard with the 5 year / 100 000km Audi Freeway plan and inclusive of all taxes.

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