2023 Audi RS Q8 Performance

The RS Q8 is a monster of performance, with its 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 producing 591 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. This is supplemented by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system that includes regenerative braking and can store 12 watts in the trunk's battery pack. All the power is managed by an eight-speed automatic transmission that sends 40 percent of its power to the front wheels and all of the rest to the rear axle. However, depending on the situation, the front can receive up to 70 percent of the grunt while the rear can take as much as 85 percent. According to Audi, any more power on the rear axle would compromise the integrity of the drivetrain. Still, it's enough for the RS Q8 to launch itself from 0-60 mph in a claimed 3.7 seconds, although the real figure is likely lower. Top speed is pegged at 155 mph unless you get the ceramic brake upgrade, in which case the limit only arrives at 190 mph - the same as the Urus. Despite less power than the Urus, the RS Q8 is the fastest production SUV the Nurburgring has ever seen, clocking a time of 7:42.253. This is astonishing, but the racing driver behind that time says that even though the RS Q8 is nearly as quick as a Ferrari 458, he could have gone even quicker. And this is in an SUV that can tow up to 7,700 pounds. Impressive doesn't even begin to cover it.

Just one engine and drivetrain configuration is available for the RS Q8, and one is all you need. The Audi RS Q8 is a monster, whether you're accelerating from a dig or overtaking someone on the freeway. It just pulls and pulls and pulls, making it feel like you're in something much more sporty than an SUV. The throttle response is phenomenal, and although it's not as lag-free as a Ferrari turbo V8, it sure as hell doesn't feel much worse. Bury your right foot and it'll be a matter of seconds before you're on the wrong side of the law. That's what a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with 591 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque can do.

The transmission is just as impressive. It's an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic, and it's both smooth and sharp, changing up with barely a break in acceleration and dropping a ratio just as easily when necessary. Take control with the manual paddles behind the steering wheel and you'll find that you're in full command, with the 'box responding to your every request without complaint. Thanks to custom drive modes (RS1 and RS2), you can set how aggressive you want the throttle and transmission mapping to be, which is the kind of thing you'd usually expect from a full-on performance car. Guess what? That's exactly what the RS Q8 is.

The most recent fuel consumption data for the Audi RS Q8 from the EPA has it pegged at 13/20/16 mpg city/highway/combined. It's not exactly frugal, but n performance SUVs in this category are, and with a thirst for premium gas, refueling can get expensive. With a 22.5-gallon gas tank, it would thus return an average of around 360 miles with mixed driving.