Audi topped its vary of SUVs with the RS Q8, a high-performance people-hauler that is as quick as it’s luxurious. Its 3.7-second dash to 60 mph is fast sufficient for many, however German tuner ABT noticed room for enchancment. It celebrated its a hundred and twenty fifth birthday by constructing an RS Q8 that is practically as speedy to 60 mph as an R8.
ABT saved the twin-turbocharged, 4.0-liter V8, which produces 591 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. It elevated these figures to 740 and 679, respectively, largely by way of software program tweaks; it made no inner modifications to the engine. Injecting 140 horses into the driveline reduces the R’s zero-to-62-mph time to three.4 seconds, which means its zero-to-60-mph time might verify in at 3.3 seconds. For context, the R8 sprints to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds, whereas the usual RS Q8 takes 3.7 seconds. Motorists planning on storming the unrestricted sections of the autobahn can cruise at 195 mph after ABT removes the velocity limiter.
Making a wolf in sheep’s clothes wasn’t ABT’s intention. It gave the RS Q8-R a physique package that features a number of carbon fiber bits, and it put in a set of 23-inch wheels. Patrons preferring a extra refined look (or one thing even louder) can work straight with ABT’s design division to customise practically all the add-ons. Inside, there’s an extra dose of carbon fiber and sport seats for the entrance passengers, amongst different modifications.
125 items of the RS Q8-R will probably be constructed, a quantity chosen as a result of ABT was based 125 years in the past. It wasn’t tuning steam-powered automobiles and two-horsepower quadricycles; it was fashioned as a horseshoe producer.
Pricing data hasn’t been launched but, however we’ll hear extra in regards to the RS Q8-R within the coming months. The tuner hinted that the facility hike will permit it to simply beat Audi’s 2019 Nürburgring file, which stands at seven minutes and 42 seconds. ABT’s R will not dethrone the RS Q8, the file set is for manufacturing SUVs and it is a limited-edition mannequin, however we’re trying ahead to discovering out what number of seconds it might probably shave from that point.
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