Oversteer Cafe

written by Aphiwe Nzimande

Following its release and positioning as the company’s flagship SUV, Audi has given the Q8 a mild nip and tuck outfit as a refreshment to make the car up to par with its close rivals, and these are the new changes to expect.

Changes are subtle and could almost go unnoticed in the eyes of a normal everyday person, but luckily, you’ve got some help starting on the exterior. The grille has a new pattern and wider openings, while the headlights gain a new LED design that can be altered and set through your infotainment system.

The side profile again remains largely the same as the Q8 retains its sporty silhouette and muscular proportions, just gaining a new set of alloy wheel designs that begin at 21 inches and go up to 23 inches.

Backing up to the rear, you are now delighted to choose from regular LED taillights or OLED taillights, which, like the headlights, can be configured to light up in a specific way. Proximity sensors are present in this party trick to automatically turn off the lights when another car comes a little bit too close behind you, avoiding dazzling them with your theatrics. The lower bumper has been subtly tweaked, as it’s accompanied by a new set of twin tailpipes on either side.

The SQ8 does also receive some treatment to its appearance, including a silver trim along the grille, window seals, bumpers, air openings, and unique alloy wheels and quad tailpipes. The RSQ8 is still busy around the Nürburgring and various testing sights and has yet to be unveiled, but soon it will.

Let us enter the cabin, where there have been no changes, which isn’t at all a bad thing since the Q8’s interior is a wonderful place to be. You’re still flooded by three screens: one for your infotainment, one for your instrument cluster, and one in charge of controlling your climate, heated, and cooled seat settings. The Q8’s infotainment gains Spotify and Amazon Music built-in for the first time.

With a 3-liter diesel engine that produces 170 kW and 500 Nm, the 45 TDI quattro2 is the base model in the lineup. The Q8 45 TDI, according to Audi, can reach a top speed of 226 km/h and accelerate to 100 km/h in 7.1 seconds. The 50 TDI quattro3, a more potent version with 210 kW and 600 Nm of torque, comes after this engine. It has a 0–100 km/h acceleration time of 6.1 seconds and a top speed of 241 km/h.

The six-cylinder, 3.0-litre turbo-petrol engine in the Audi Q8 55 TFSI produces 250 kW and 500 Nm. With a top speed of 250 km/h, it is said to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 5 to 6 seconds. The Audi Q8’s V6 engines all function in tandem with the mild hybrid system, an eight-speed tiptronic transmission, and quattro permanent four-wheel drive.

As part of a product upgrade, the SQ8 TFSI now utilizes a 4.0 TFSI with 373 kW and 770 Nm of torque, along with a quick-shifting eight-speed tiptronic and quattro permanent all-wheel drive. The SQ8 TFSI1 accelerates with this engine from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.1 seconds, with an electronically controlled top speed of 250 km/h. The 4.0 TFSI, with its firing order of 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8, is said to have a recognizable, sporty, and sonorous sound.

According to Audi, the market launch of the updated Q8 will take place in September 2023. Audi South Africa hasn’t confirmed local availability yet, but we should expect units to hit local dealers sometime next year.