Forget the GLE Coupe, this 476 hp Audi Q8 Sport Concept is all you need!

Mar 9, 2017 3:45 pm

Rival SUV-coupes better watch out, Audi is shaping up their contender which is slated for production in 2018. This is the Audi Q8 Sport Concept, and not only does it preview how the production Q8 will look like, it also showcases the mild hybrid powertrain that is likely to end up in future Audi models.

Although this is not the first time the concept Q8 was shown to the public, earlier this year Audi unveiled the Q8 Concept at the 2017 Detroit Motor Show. This krypton orange car you see here is the more powerful Q8 Sport Concept, which is sort of like an SQ8 in concept form.

While the Q8 Concept in Detroit was a plug-in hybrid generating 328 hp, the Q8 Sport Concept delivers 476 hp and 700 Nm from its rather unique powertrain which consists of a 3.0-litre petrol V6 and an Electric Powered Compressor (EPC). Audi claims it’s a world’s first, but the same setup has already been used in the SQ7, except that it’s paired to a 4.0-litre diesel V8.

Powered by a 48-volt system, the EPC effectively assists the twin turbos during quick burst of acceleration for a lag-free sprint. It gets from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.7 seconds, and to a top speed of 275 km/h. Despite those fast figures, Audi said the Q8 Sport Concept will cover more than 1,200 km from its 85-litre tank of petrol, thanks to its mild hybrid setup with a 20 kW electric motor.

As far as looks goes, the Q8 Sport Concept is pretty much a blinged-up production Q8. Downsize those 23-inch wheels and slap on some proper doorhandles and side mirrors and you’re basically set. It’s a better-looking beast than the Q7, and even though it goes against the likes of BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe, the Q8 doesn’t have that weird sloping roofline.

Inside, Audi has reduced the button count on the dash, replacing it with touch panels and two screens, each the size of a tablet. There’s only seating for four inside but the boot is said to offer 630 litres worth of space.