2019 Audi Q8 Flagship SUV Spotted Basically Undisguised

What It Is: A nearly undisguised, production version of the Audi Q8. The Q8 is Audi’s first crossover “coupe,” although unlike the BMW X6 and the Mercedes-AMG GLE coupe, it doesn’t appear as such with a roofline that’s only mildly raked. The Q8’s slimmer headlights and octagonal grille—similar to those on the 2019 A8 sedan—add drama, as does its steep liftgate glass and wide D-pillars. That’s as wild as it gets for a five-seater from Ingolstadt. Most of the visual pizzazz of the concept iterations is dulled, but that may be because we’re looking at a base model. The smaller, plainer wheels and blocked-off lower air vents are two clues that this is a lower-spec version. The concepts’ hood strakes, additional venting above the grille, and faux air-cutouts below the taillights have been binned, while the pleasing, full-width black panel on the tailgate appears to have been shortened, too. Audi likely is saving most of these details for the inevitable SQ8 and RS Q8 models, or perhaps an optional S-Line appearance package. The concepts’ surface treatments, especially the convex and concave stampings on the rear doors, carry over intact.

Why It Matters: BMW has essentially owned the SUV coupe market since it invented the segment a decade ago, and Audi is remarkably late to the party. The Q8’s greenhouse is larger and more upright than the BMW’s (or the Mercedes GLE coupe’s), giving the Audi a closer approximation—in profile, at least—to the Range Rover Velar. That may prove appealing to buyers seeking more headroom and practicality among high-style mid-size SUVs.

Platform: Like the three-row Q7, the Q8 rides on that same MLB Evo architecture shared with other Volkswagen Group SUVs including the Bentley Bentayga, Lamborghini Urus, Porsche Cayenne, and Volkswagen Touareg. Aluminum body panels skin a primarily steel unibody.

Powertrain: Expect everything from Audi’s turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four to a twin-turbo V-8. The Q7’s 252-hp four should carry over; as a step-up, we’d expect Audi’s new 354-hp 3.0-liter turbo V-6 (as seen in the S5) instead of the Q7’s 333-hp supercharged V-6. A plug-in-hybrid e-tron model with a turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 and a 134-hp electric motor promise up to 37 miles of electric range, as well as a combined 443 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. A hybrid fitted with Audi’s 48-volt electrical subsystem, a smaller 0.9-kWh lithium-ion battery, and an electrically driven supercharger bolted to that same V-6 should generate 476 horsepower for the SQ8. Finally, an ultra-high-performance variant is a must, which here means Audi’s twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 pushing 500-plus horsepower and wearing an RS Q8 badge.

Competition:BMW X6, Mercedes-AMG GLE coupe, Range Rover Velar.

Estimated Arrival and Price: As is customary for sleeker German vehicles that are otherwise identical to their boxier counterparts, the Q8 should cost several grand more than the Q7’s corresponding trim levels. Figure $57,000 for a base Q8, with the SQ8 well into the $70Ks and an RS Q8 clearing the century mark.