When an “ordinary” Audi model comes along like the flagship Q8 SUV, it’s really just a matter of time until a faster, sportier variant come along. Now, we finally have that performance variant with the 2020 Audi RS Q8. The hottest SUV Audi’s built yet just debuted at the 2019 LA Auto Show, and TFL’s Nathan Adlen and Stephen Elmer were on hand to take a closer look.
Under the hood, this 2020 Audi RS Q8 gets a major upgrade over the standard model. A 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 lurks within, providing 592 horsepower as well as 590 lb-ft of torque. That’s a power level on par with Audi’s other RS models revealed at the show, not to mention its blistering Nürburgring track time. Around the Nordschleife, it managed an official time of 7 minutes and 42.2 seconds.
The 2020 Audi RS Q8 has an electronically-limited top speed of 155 mph. Spec it with RS ceramic brakes, though, and that top speed increases to 190 mph, which is absurdly fast for an SUV. Audi says the RS Q8 will sprint from 0-60 in 3.8 seconds as well.
Inside, the 2020 Audi RS Q8 still has all the amenities you’d expect from a regular model. However, it does have a revised digital instrument cluster, as well as a screen to show the various temperatures of components throughout the drivetrain, like the transmission. You can also see information in the RS displays like g-forces, lap times, torque and tire pressures. The optional head-up display also has graphics specific to the RS model.
This is still an SUV at the end of the day, so the 2020 Audi RS Q8 still delivers on practicality too. With the rear seats folded, the cargo area accommodates 60.7 cubic feet of space.
Pricing isn’t available yet, but Audi will start selling the RS Q8 in the US in 2020. The company also said US power specifications will be available closer to the market launch so the numbers could change a bit, though we don’t expect them to change significantly. Stay tuned to TFLcar.com for more updates from the 2019 LA Auto Show!
