Overview
AUDI Australia has rationalised its Q8 SUV and Sportback vary this month as the brand new Q8 50 SUV e-tron variant joins the freshly launched SQ8 SUV and Sportback in Aussie showrooms.
The Q8 50 SUV e-tron will change the Q8 55 SUV e-tron within the German model’s rising native battery electrical car (BEV) portfolio, leaving the Q8 55 Sportback e-tron to fill the hole between Q8 50 SUV e-tron and SQ8 variants.
Pricing for the Q8 vary now begins from $140,600 plus on-road prices for the Q8 50 SUV e-tron.
The carryover Q8 55 Sportback e-tron is now supplied from $154,600 + ORC, whereas the SQ8 e-tron vary is priced from $173,600 + ORC in SUV physique model and $180,600 for the flagship SQ8 Sportback e-tron.
As has been rolled-out beforehand in different Q8 variants, the newly arrived trio sports activities Audi’s new company identification with two-dimensional badging, refreshed exterior and inside styling, improved battery and DC charging capability, and what Audi refers to as an “optimised driving expertise”.
Digital mirrors stay optionally available on the vary with as many as 30 per cent of Audi clients ticking the field for the choice. The Q8 vary is additional obtainable with up to date Digital Matrix headlights, the LED items now providing 1.3 million micro mirrors per lamp and the power for every to tilt (alter) as much as 5000 instances per second.
The Digital Matrix Headlights additional provide new features together with an orientation gentle characteristic and superior visitors info show (projection onto the highway floor).
Aerodynamics are likewise improved, with SUV fashions now providing a drag coefficient of 0.27Cd and Sportback fashions 0.24Cd whereas motor effectivity positive factors come courtesy of a rise within the variety of coils in every stator, up from 12 to 14.
Elsewhere, Audi says it has sharpened the steering ratio for its Progressive Steering system, taking the ratio from 15.8:1 to 14.6:1 (when put next with the earlier e-tron). The entrance axle now receives stiffer lateral management arm bushings, whereas the soundness management, built-in brake management, adaptive air suspension and dampers are all recalibrated.
The battery fitted within the Q8 vary now presents 20 per cent extra capability from the identical packaging, due to 12 addition stacked prismatic cells (to now complete 432).
For the Q8 50 SUV e-tron battery capability (lithium-ion) is listed at 95kW gross (89kW web) with DC charging at 150kW. The WLTP vary is listed 411km.
In contrast, the Q8 55 Sportback e-tron presents a battery capability of 114kW, 170kW DC charging and a spread of 454km (WLTP), whereas the SQ8 SUV and Sportback every characteristic a 114kW battery capability and 170kW DC charging, with WLTP ranges of 417km and 430km respectively.
Charging instances fall between 28 and 31 minutes towards the 10-80 per cent normal when charged with a DC quick charger. The utmost AC charging charge is listed at 22kW with instances there of round 5 hours.
Important stats see the Q8 50 SUV e-tron provide up 250kW of energy and 664Nm or torque to supply a 0-100km/h time of 6.0 seconds.
For the Q8 50 SUV e-tron we discover normal gear together with 20-inch alloy wheels, adaptive air suspension, entrance heated seats, leather-based appointed upholstery, pre-conditioning (local weather management), a 12.3-inch Digital Cockpit (digital instrument panel), head-up show, 360-degree digicam system, lively lane help, and adaptive cruise management with Cease & Go performance.
For the SQ8 duo we discover S physique styling, a panoramic glass sunroof, Singleframe projector gentle, red-painted brake callipers, 22-inch wheels, Matrix LED headlights, dynamic rear indicators, S sport entrance seats, a 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, Digital Cockpit plus, a heated sports activities steering wheel, and included metallic paint.
Optionally, the Q8 50 SUV e-tron is obtainable with a Sport Package deal ($5400) providing 21-inch wheels, Sport entrance seats, Valcona leather-based upholstery, black exterior styling bundle, and LED color ambient lighting.
The SQ8 duo is obtainable optionally with Audi’s Sensory Package deal ($9600) providing Digital Matrix LED headlights, LED entrance lights, mushy shut/energy latching doorways, outboard rear heated seats, effective Nappa leather-based dashboard higher and decrease parts, air high quality bundle, and sunshades for the rear home windows.
Lastly, the 22kW AC charging bundle provides $6900 to the invoice, whereas the inclusion of Digital Mirrors is an additional $3500.
House owners will obtain six years complimentary entry to public charging through the Chargefox community, six years complimentary scheduled servicing (with 24 month / 30,000km service intervals), and 6 years complimentary roadside help with their Q8 or SQ8 buy.
The complimentary set up of a regular house charger can also be included.
Q8 and SQ8 fashions are coated by guarantee for 5 years/limitless kilometres, and the excessive voltage battery eight years/160,000km.
Driving Impressions
Audi Australia believes most of its Q8 e-tron vary gross sales will come from the efficiency SQ8 e-tron variant, and it’s that mannequin we spent probably the most time with on launch.
As talked about, the SQ8 e-ton makes use of three electrical motors, one on the entrance axle and two on the rear, to ship ‘quattro’ all-wheel drive. At full tilt, the trio offers a powerful 370kW of energy and 973Nm of torque, or ample to speed up the 2600kg SUV from standstill to 100km/h in simply 4.6 seconds.
Conversely, the association just isn’t what you’d name environment friendly, and on check we noticed the power meter stage out at a we-were-really-trying 32kWh per 100km (or round 4 over the declare). It’s to be anticipated, however when seen towards the Q8 50 e-tron, which managed a consequence within the decrease 20s, is appreciably hungry. Anticipate a spread simply shy of 400km in the true world.
The SQ8 e-tron does, nevertheless, ship lots for the ability consumed. Afterall, the is an Audi ‘S’ mannequin with some astounding efficiency attributes. With torque figures approaching 4 digits it ought to come as no shock that the SQ8 e-tron doesn’t muck round. However what does shock is simply how effortlessly it delivers that energy to the bottom.
There’s no scrambling for grip, even when mashing the throttle to the ground. The SQ8 e-tron merely launches itself on the horizon and continues to speed up. Audi says it’ll do 210km/h earlier than the limiter kicks in, and we consider it.
It’s not as manic as some electrical autos we’ve sampled, partly due to its weight. As a substitute, the SQ8 e-tron feels nicely metered and simple to modulate, holding nook speeds with spectacular ease earlier than rocketing from every apex with complete finesse. In all seriousness, a big SUV shouldn’t be this fulfilling, or this polished.
We drove the SQ8 e-tron (and the ‘50’) over a mixture of winding nation again roads of various ‘high quality’ and have been impressed by its potential to take in discrepancies and bumps. Even when challenged with a number of inputs and a change of course the SQ8 e-tron maintained its poise, using with a stage of consolation (and quiet) that appears virtually unreal for a car sporting 22-inch rims.
The damping is intelligent and works shortly to right the car’s posture enabling a stage of precision within the steering that’s fairly merely sensible. There isn’t a bump steer and no tugging on the ‘wheel, even when giving the throttle a good nudge. In a phrase, it’s fluid and offers a stage of communication Audi has achieved nicely to dial in.
The regenerative braking, which is adaptive through steering wheel ‘paddles’, can be utilized successfully to supply deceleration into corners – or when approaching the ‘lights. The power so as to add extra of much less regen’ as dictated by every state of affairs means you’ll be able to reserve use of the service brake for tougher stops, whereas on the identical time incomes again treasured power.
That mentioned, the SQ8 e-tron’s sizable rotors and monstrous callipers present a muscular braking motion that fits the crimson rhombus badge, all delivered with a progressive pedal that feels as pure as any petrol-powered Audi we’ve sampled up to now.
Past the human-assisted drive, it’s terrific to search out an array of digital assistants that complement the expertise. The adaptive cruise management is outstanding, even in stop-start metropolis visitors, whereas the lane conserving aids and centring adapt nicely to varied situations, chiming in solely when wanted.
In a world the place ADAS methods have gotten more and more annoying and uptight, it’s refreshing to expertise a car whose assistants do exactly that.
If it isn’t already apparent, we actually just like the SQ8 e-tron. It’s not only a nice electrical SUV, it’s an ideal SUV interval. Whether or not tootling round city, cruising the open freeway, or getting caught right into a winding mountain highway, the car delivers a mix of efficiency, compliance and competence few on this class might hope to match.
