Audi RS Q8 Launches This Year, More RS SUVs to Come
Electrification will come into play
We've seen prototypes of the Audi RS Q8 running around, but apparently, this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to high-performance SUVs from the automaker. Speaking withAutocar, Audi Sport managing director Oliver Hoffmann said there will be RS variants of almost every Audi SUV.
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"We have to stretch our portfolio and the SUV segment is the segment with the most growth," Hoffmann said. "There is high demand from our customers for high-performance SUVs," adding that the RS Q8 launches this year.
This will be the first in a wave of RS-badged SUVs from Audi. Although we don't know what will be under the sheetmetal, it's possible the RS Q8 will inherit a version of the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 found in the Lamborghini Urus, where it makes 641 hp.
While saying "nothing is official at this stage," the report fromAutocarclaims Audi Sport is said to be developing RS versions of the following vehicles: Q3, Q5, Q7, and Q8. We're certainly not surprised about RS Q3, considering we've seen prototypes hard at work on the track for what could be a 400-hp small SUV.Autocarsays to expect RS-badged SUVs within the next 12 months.
Electrification will come into play with future RS utility vehicles. "If you have the SUV segment with the higher weight, it's easier to implement a hybrid drivetrain. It's easier because of the packaging and the higher weight," Hoffmann reportedly said, adding "for sure, we will increase electric for our RS models in the future."
Right now, Audi Sport has an extensive array of non-SUV models, including the RS 3, RS 4, RS 5, R8, and TT RS. On that note, we're still sad theTT is on its way out.
Source: Autocar
When I tell people I write about cars, the most common reply I receive is “Really?” I guess I never strike people as a car type as I drive down the freeway in the right lane going 60 mph in my old SUV. My gripes about driving in city traffic and fast drivers don’t help my case, either. For a time, the only cars I liked were old cars. Not old as in "classic" or "vintage," but as in well-worn. My first appreciation of cars came when I drove a very old Ford pickup. It wasn't perfect: I used a booster seat to reach the gas pedal, and the turn signal once fell off in my hand as I was learning to drive. But the thing I valued most was the memories. It took several years for me to truly become a "car person." Being a long-time writer and an avid reader has helped me develop a healthy curiosity and a desire to know how things work. This has made cars one of the most fascinating points of study for me because they are such intricate machines. I am interested in how cars can reach 200 mph, how they can run on hydrogen, and how they can drive and park on their own. I also enjoy learning how cars can solve problems whether it be in the form of reducing pollution, minimizing traffic, or helping people stay connected on the road. Yes, maybe I’m not a gearhead. Perhaps I’m a car nerd. Either way, I very much enjoy writing about cars and helping people stay in tune with the automotive industry. I wouldn't want to be writing about anything else. And don’t get me wrong: I know how to drool over a hot car. I am fascinated by the Tesla Model S, awed by the Lamborghini Veneno, and am hopelessly obsessed with the Audi R8.
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