2019 Audi Q8 Debuts With 48V Mild Hybrid V6, All-Wheel Steering

The new SUV, which is obviously being referred to as a coupe by the ever-confused Germans, is wider, shorter and lower than its Q7 sister model. It measures in at 16.4 feet long, 6.6 feet wide and 5.6-feet tall, and has a wheelbase of about 9.8 feet. Audi says the ‘coupe SUV’ offers a spacious interior that beats its direct competitors in headroom and interior length and boasts a usable 62 cubic feet of luggage space.

Unlike the closely related Lamborghini Urus with which the Q8 shares a platform, the Q8 aims to appear rugged and off-road -ready with the spoiler, wheel arches, door trim strips, front bumper and diffuser presented in a contrasting silver color. The automaker also claims the vehicle’s strong, pronounced design contours are meant to hint at the styling of the original Audi quattro. The SUV will be offered with standard LED headlights, while Matrix LED lights will be offered as an option. There will also be large 22-inch wheels on offer, which are fitted to the model seen in the gallery here.

Under the hood of US-spec Audi Q8 will be a 340 hp 3.0-liter V6 engine. Educated readers may notice the V6 is quite a bit more powerful than the 3.0-liter found in the Q7, and that’s thanks to the presence of a 48V mild-hybrid system that will be fitted to all Q8 models. The 48V system features a small lithium-ion battery, which can recover up to 12 kW of power under braking that can later be deployed when accelerating or coasting to boost the big SUV’s fuel economy. All-wheel drive is standard across the board, of course, while all-wheel steering is available as an option. Adaptive suspension is standard, but Audi offers a more advanced air suspension system with comfort and sports settings too.

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Just as we expected, the interior is essentially the same as the Lamborghini Urus’, with a standard 10.1-inch upper display and an 8.6-inch lower display. The upper display is used for controlling the multimedia and navigation systems, while the lower display takes care of the climate control. Audi’s 12.3-inch virtual cockpit display is standard and offers two HUD views, while an optional ‘plus’ version adds a sporty-looking view for spirited drives. The combined 31-inches of display screen are joined by standard LTE Advanced Wi-Fi and Audi connect predictive services. The latter of those allows for traffic sign information to be relayed to the driver, along with road conditions and hazard information. An optional Audi connect key also lets the driver lock and unlock the vehicle and start the engine using an Android phone.

Active safety features are abundant, with adaptive cruise assist, efficiency assist, crossing assist, lane change warning, curb warning and 360 degree cameras standard. Audi is particularly proud of the SUV’s ‘garage pilot’ mode, which can guide the vehicle into a garage and back it out autonomously.

The 2019 Audi Q8 will go on sale in the US in early 2019. Diesel V6 models for Europe will begin to arrive at dealers later this year. Pricing has yet to be announced.

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