Spied! Audi RS Q8 Put to the Test on the ‘Ring

The 2019 Audi Q8 flagship SUV should be quick enough for most, with its turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 and mild hybrid system making 335 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque, but these days there’s no shortage of demand for more power and performance. We know an SQ8 is on the way, as we’ve seen a completely uncamouflaged prototype, and these latest spy shots show Audi is hard at work testing an RS variant as well.

Spotted on Germany’s famed Nürburgring race track, the prototype wears camo on its front and rear valance and along its rocker panels. The front end sports intake openings similar to the SQ8, but it appears to hang lower thanks to a new front lip piece. There’s also a different mesh pattern in the grille. In back, we can see two large oval-shaped exhaust tips in place of the SQ8’s quad round tips. Further evidence that this is a mule for an upcoming RS model can be seen in the large wheels backed by enormous brake discs.

Not much is known about the RS Q8, but the model could inherit a version of the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 found in the Porsche Cayenne and Lamborghini Urus. Given that the mill makes 641 hp in the Urus, it should be up to the RS brand’s high-performance standards.

Take a look at the spy shots in the gallery, and find out how the standard Q8 drives here.

Photo source: CarPix

The post Spied! Audi RS Q8 Put to the Test on the ‘Ring appeared first on Motor Trend.

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