Audi’s new topping SUV has been introduced in the concept form at this year’s Detroit auto show. Since then, we caught a number of pre-production prototypes, yet we never see the unwrapped vehicle so far. A member of AutoPareri forum managed to catch a crossover that seems to be the 2019 Audi Q8. As you can see, the large high-riding vehicle has been spotted from the back, but we are sure it’s the upcoming Q8, simply because the overall shape of the rear end largely resembles the concept’s rear hatch.
Concept’s rear end on the production Q8
Judging by the registration plates, the 2018 Q8 is caught somewhere in Germany. The SUV sports pretty cool rooflines with really smooth spoilers. The sleek taillights make the rear hatch quite attractive, while a large, maybe oversized rear bumper diffuser comes in a pair with two exhaust pipes. As we see, the Audi Q8 will not go too far from its concept. Moreover, aside of slightly less aggressive diffuser, everything else looks to be untouched.
Engines for U.S.
The future topper will share booth footprint and platform with the new Q7. So-called MLB front-wheel drive architecture will enable a number of different engines under the hood. However, the US-specs 2019 Audi Q8 will start from a 3.0-liter turbocharged V-6 which produces 354 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. The mill will come in a pair with an eight-speed auto transmission and all-wheel drive. The North American public will likely see an e-tron plug-in hybrid model as well. This version will reportedly combine a 3.0-liter turbocharged V-6 with an electric motor. The output of the hybrid system should be 442 hp and 516 lb-ft. The car manufacturer filled a trademark for the “RS Q8” moniker a few weeks ago. The topper will definitely use a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 found in the RS 7 Performance. If they decided not to touch anything, the mighty mill will develop 605 horsepower.
Estimated arrival
According to some previous report, the car manufacturer planned to reveal the 2019 Audi Q8 late next year. However, since we saw the unwrapped model so early, we doubt they will wait for that long. Instead, the new topper might make its official debut next spring in Europe. On the other hand, the U.S. public will have to wait until late next year for sure.
Stay tuned for updates.
