ANTHONY KARR wrote:We have the first big concept from the 2017 NAIAS – Audi’s Q8 concept is here and is “more luxurious than any Audi before.” The study represents the German company’s first entry in the full-size, coupe-SUV segment and will morph into a production model in 2018.
Audi says the Q8 concept combines the sporty and sexy lines of a coupe with the functionality of classic SUVs - and we totally agree. Despite the sloping, coupe-like roofline, the cabin offers enough room for the rear passengers, thanks in part to the 9.8 foot (3.0 meters) long wheelbase.
“It demonstrates the strengths of our brand in both technology and design while providing a glimpse at a future full-size, production SUV. With its next-generation display and control solutions, we are enabling customers to experience connectivity in a whole new way.”
Mr. Voggenreiter is referring to the contact analogue head-up display, which Audi says is the biggest in the automotive industry and will be first offered in the next generation A7. There’s also a new version of the brand’s virtual cockpit, which now features new functions and higher resolution. A couple of other displays, integrated in the so-called “black panel” on the center console, is used to control the infotainment system and for vehicle settings.
Speaking of the interior, it offers “opulent spaciousness for four persons,” sitting in four individual seats made of segments that appear to be separate geometric bodies, from the pronounced side bolsters to the head restraints.
While being a concept, the Q8 uses production technologies for the drive system. Power comes from a plug-in hybrid system, which combines the work of a 3.0-liter turbocharged petrol engine, an eight-speed automatic gearbox, and an electric motor. The total system output stands at 443 horsepower (330 kilowatts) and 516.3 pound-feet (700 Newton meters) of torque. Audi claims the study can accelerate from a standstill to 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) in only 5.4 seconds and reach an electronically-limited top speed of 155 mph (250 kph). On paper, the SUV consumes only 2.3 liters of fuel per 100 km (102.3 miles per gallon).
The powertrain uses a lithium-ion battery located in the rear, which consists of 104 prismatic cells. It has a capacity of 17.9 kWh an can provide an electric range of 37 miles (60 kilometers), making the total range of the car up to 621 miles (1,000 kilometers). A full charge with 7.2 kW output takes about two and a half hours.
Audi says the Quattro all-wheel drive system delivers the power from the hybrid system to all four wheels with “supreme control” - at the cornering limit, it minimally brakes the inside wheels, which further enhances dynamics and stability. The concept sits on massive 305/35 series tires, wrapped around 23-inch wheels.
