What's the news?
A not-unexpected announcement here but one which is wholly welcome - Audi has taken the drivetrain from the SQ7 and plonked it into the Q8, creating the SQ8 in the process.
Exterior
Compared to a regular Q8, the SQ8 has blistered wheel arches, standard HD Matrix LED headlights, a matte-silver Singleframe grille complemented by the same colour door mirrors and pronounced underbody protection guards front and rear to denote its flagship status. There are quad exhausts at the rear but, given Audi's recent form on this score, these might well be 'fakes'.
Interior
The SQ8's interior is enhanced with Super Sport seats with integrated head restraints, with the option of having climate controls and massage functions incorporated into them. Diamond-stitched Valcona black leather clothes most of the surfaces, but for a bit of contrast the seats, the front-centre armrest and the door armrests can be finished in either Rotor Grey or Arras Red. Contrast stitching abounds and the inlays are either aluminium or carbon, depending on options fitted. Like all good Q8s, the SQ8 enjoys the three-digi-screen layout of the top-end Audis, replete with a wealth of infotainment, connectivity and driver assist safety functions.
Mechanicals
So, up front is the monster 4.0-litre 'tri'-turbo V8 diesel, delivering stats of 435hp and 900Nm. What with an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic, quattro all-wheel drive and the Electrically Powered Compressor (EPC) to negate turbo lag, this thing fires at the horizon in the order of 0-100km/h in 4.8 seconds, with its top speed limited to 250km/h. The EPC is fed by the 48-volt onboard electrical system, which also forms the basis of the mild-hybrid set-up fitted to the SQ8. A belt-alternator starter and a lithium-ion battery ensure that the big Audi SUV sips at its fuel as much as is possible, reducing fuel consumption by up to 0.5 litres/100km, but it can also use that 48-volt MHEV set-up to power active anti-roll bars and all-wheel steering. These are likely to be options in Ireland, as is a sport differential; the quattro nominally splits drive 40:60 front-to-rear.
Anything else?
The Audi SQ8 goes on sale soon, with Irish prices and specs yet to be confirmed - it will, however, be comfortably beyond €100,000 once figures are set.