The Audi Q8 coupe SUV has gone on sale in India as the brand’s flagship today, at INR 1.33 crore (Ex-showroom). Audi India’s first launch for India for the new decade, this will be followed by the introduction of the new A8 sedan in February. The Q8 SUV will be available with plenty of customisation options and for being a flagship, comes fitted with a lot of goodies as standard.
Powering the new SUV is a 3.0-litre, 6-cylinder TFSI motor which is BS6 compliant and cranks out 350 hp and 500 Nm torque, paired with an 8-speed Tiptronic gearbox. This is the only engine option on offer. Power is sent to all four wheels via the brands famed Quattro system and rear-wheel steering is being offered as optional. The big Audi can hit a top speed of 250 km/h and go from 0 – 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds. The Q8 is being offered with air suspension as standard which allows changing the ride height and also responds accordingly to Sport and Comfort modes.
In terms of appearance, the Q8 looks imposing and sporty at the same time and cuts a very unique picture as a vehicle. The highlight of the design is the C-pillar, which draws inspiration from the legendary Quattro rally car. Illumination is through LEDs all around and at the back, in particular, there’s a single illuminated LED strip which runs through the width of the tailgate and caps the taillights. All four doors are frameless and add more character to the design.
Inside the cabin, there’s Audi’s new dual MMI screens with haptic feedback, a sunroof, Audi’s virtual cockpit in front of the wheel and a 1920W Bang & Olufsen sound system with 23 speakers, offered as standard. The ambient lighting is customisable in 20 different colours, both the front seats are powered and all four chairs can be specced to be offer cooling and heating functions. myAudi App connectivity will be offered for free for the first year.
There’s lots of room in the backseat and the boot, however, the Q8 is offered with dual-zone air-conditioning as standard and going by the S-Line version which was also present at the event and had a four-zone unit, we think the latter could be offered as an option. The Q8 is brought into the country as a CBU and can now be booked at Audi dealerships across India.
