Monday , March 20 2023

the latest German coupe crossover



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Before we get to the road I have to say that I really do not understand the attraction for this truck. Take a low-slung coupe and lift it up in the air. Then load it with extra hundreds of pounds. Alternatively, take a functionally focused SUV and tilt the roof to reduce the starting area and prevent the addition of a third row of seats. What you end up with is a car with less functionality than an SUV and less sport than a regular coupe.

And yet here we are on yet another German coupe crossover, this time by Audi. Manufacturers of high-power products in the German giant of cars clearly believe in this form. And there are undoubtedly several days worth of Powerpoint presentation and pie charts to support their point of view. I still do not understand it.

However, as BMW has shown with the strange X6, some adore this form. And since VW Group engineers are owners of repackaging, why not build the Q8? After all, what we have here is not a new car. Under her skin are the same bases of the Audi Q7, the new VW Touareg, Porsche Cayenne, Lamborghini Urus and Bentley Bentayga.

While the Audi Q8 shares its general bases with the seven-seater Q7, the actual dimensions differ. For a beginning is smaller, but this is understandable as it takes a five-figure shape.

The test car was 50, a non-primary number that is, however, a prime example of the nomenclature convention adopted by the square mark. Audi has abandoned the traditional way of identifying different derivatives by engine size. Instead, it has chosen an arbitrary scale of numbers: the higher the number, the higher the performance of the car.

In a fair position, Audi has one point. With most of the new models with at least mild hybrid electric support and a fleet of new battery-powered models on the road, the differentiation of cars according to engine size is increasingly noisy. After all, the most recent one-liter gasoline engines can outperform far larger bonds. Perhaps the Audi naming convention will not catch, but they are right that the relationship between cubism and performance is over.

Road reality

Code decoding means that this Q8 was powered by a three-liter 286-horsepower diesel engine with an eight-speed automatic gearbox. This crossover delivers a time of 0-100km / h 6.3 seconds.

By promoting these forms against reality on the road, two features are quickly apparent. First, the athletic way makes this great bus move, even if there is a remarkable momentary delay between the beating under the throttle and the Q8 hurtling to the horizon. Nevertheless, it never attributes the sporting promise. It's no surprise as it weighs over 2½ tons.

The Audi Q8 50 TDI: Unlike many of its quadruple siblings, this is the best Audi that can take more than two passengers.

The Audi Q8 50 TDI: Unlike many of its quadruple siblings, this is the best Audi that can take more than two passengers.

With adaptive pneumatic suspension and steering all-wheel steering, the Q8 was rotated without being launched from the excavated roads we encountered during the week. Occasionally, the system was hit by misleading speed hits and potholes, but overall comfort was the norm, even in sports. The only problem is that it always feels its size. There is nothing to show "coupe" for the handling characteristics of this car.

In terms of appearance, while the Range Rover Velar remains the benchmark, it certainly holds the second place, far ahead of the strange appearance of the BMW X6 and the even more enjoyable Mercedes-Benz GLE coupe.

Small touches such as frameless doors, more acute roof inclination and more defined rear poles give the car a coupe look. Undoubtedly the most striking styling touch, however, is the standard 21-inch alloys, with the option to accelerate up to 22 inches if you really want to add more bling.

We did not really have the opportunity to stretch the legs of the Q8 as much as we wanted – our mistake, not Audi's – but to be fair was the second time we could spend some time in the car and ours the first time I drove her to three siblings: the new VW Touareg and the other end of the spectrum, the Lamborghini Urus.

Goldilocks selection

The VW is more practical, although it also boasts an impressive array of technology, while the Lambo is more ridiculous in both performance and price. The Q8 is characterized by an intense style like Urus, technology as advanced as the Touareg (and slightly more sophisticated) and a price that is almost supportive for luxury car buyers. The same goes for Q8, the Goldilocks option? Undoubtedly.

The benefit to the Q8 is that unlike many of its quadruple siblings, this is the best Audi that can take more than two passengers. For once, Audi has lost the reign of its design team and the final results have yielded.

Audi Q8 50 TDI: there are few to suggest

Audi Q8 50 TDI: there are few that indicate "coupe" for the handling characteristics of this car.

This debut against the (still) strange BMW X6 and Merc GLE coupe or the beautiful Velar and our money would be at Audi, fitting its own distinctive stylistic touches with impressive performance and the brand's reputation for quality in relation to with the British counterpart.

However, its pricing needs special attention. While the list price for our car was € 102,200, our test car came with an additional € 24,444. That's how many people spend on their new car. Some choices were reasonably expensive, such as the high-end Bang & Olufsen sound system at € 1,907. After all, you are aligned with a strong tax rate when adding options to a new car. But € 2,304 for a heads-up display is too much like € 1,060 for "power-assisted shutdown for doors". Makes € 432 for the "electric luggage compartment cover" looks like a bargain. And an offer on the selection list, although not included in our test car, amazed me: the exclusive Audi mats for € 713.

And for all the attention to Audi's future electric future, this Q8 still has a three-liter diesel in its heart, swallows 6.8l / 100km (41.5mpg) official data and emits 178g / km CO2, a tax of € 750.

For all its elegance, the Q8 has left me embarrassed by these SUV crossover coupe. In an attempt to be all things to all motorists who never deliver properly to any area. However, if style and form outgrow the essence and function in your life, then the Q8 is the best market for these five-dimensional megatrons.

Vulgar: Audi Q8 3.0 TDI "50" S Line

Motor: the three-liter, 286-horsepower oil with an eight-speed automatic gearbox

0-100km / h: 6.3 seconds

L / 100km (mpg): 6.8 (41.5)

Emissions (car tax): 178 g / km (€ 750)

Price: € 102,200 (€ 126,644)

Our Rating: 4/5

Verdict: The best of the bundle when it comes to crosses of luxury with conscious image. You still do not understand why you would be disturbed.

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