Audi's RS Q8 Performance Might Make You Rethink That Urus Order

Ever since it was first launched, the Audi Q8 had somewhat earned the name tag of being the "poor man's Lamborghini Urus." This isn't entirely inaccurate, given that the car shares several of its parts with its more illustrious and expensive cousin. The Audi Q8 was never a direct competitor to the Urus, given the significant price gap between them. Instead, the Q8 found itself squaring off against the other coupe SUVs like the BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class Coupe.

Then in 2020, not too long after the first Audi Q8 arrived, Audi came up with the Audi RS Q8 — a more powerful, sportier variant of the Q8. Four years on, and after several minor updates, Audi has finally come up with the 2025 Audi RS Q8 with a bunch of performance and cosmetic updates. In addition to the standard RS Q8 model, Audi has also announced an even more powerful variant of the car called the Audi RS Q8 Performance.

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Both new variants borrow several design cues from the 2024 Audi RS Q8 models that underwent a design revamp, but do feature several distinctive design elements of their own to differentiate themselves as the more premium Q8 offering. These include a new front apron that gets different air intake grilles, larger 23-inch wheels (on select variants), and the twin oval tailpipes that are separated by a diffuser, which is itself divided in the middle by a reflector.

While performance figures for both cars have been upped, the Audi RS Q8 Performance now has the distinction of being Audi's most powerful production car ever to feature an internal combustion engine.

While Audi has decided against tinkering with the engine options on the refreshed 2025 Audi RS Q8 models, the Performance Edition of the car is significantly more powerful than the standard variant. The standard RS Q8 model produces 591 horsepower and generates 590 lb-ft of torque — figures identical to the existing 2024 edition of the car — with peak power being made available between 2,200 and 4,500 rpm. This car also does 0-100 kph in 3.8 seconds, which translates to a 0-60 mph time of just 3.6 seconds. The car has an electronically limited top speed of 250 kph (155 mph), which can be enhanced to 305 kph (189 mph).

As for the Audi RS Q8 Performance, this variant of the car produces 631 horsepower of power and generates 627 lb-ft of torque. Thanks to this increase in power, the Performance Edition of the Audi RS Q8 claims a 0-100 kph time of 3.6 seconds, which translates to a 0-60 mph time of 3.4 seconds. This brings the acceleration figures of the Audi RS Q8 Performance tantalizingly close to that of the Lamborghini Urus.

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The Audi RS Q8 Performance also sounds different from the standard model thanks to a new, lighter exhaust system, which aids in performance and creates a sportier exhaust note. Those seeking a beefier exhaust have the option to upgrade to the RS sport exhaust system, which not only intensifies the exhaust note, but also gives the car a different look thanks to its distinctive glossy black tailpipes.

Like its predecessor, both versions of the Audi RS Q8 get Audi's Quattro permanent all-wheel drive technology, and feature an eight-speed tiptronic transmission.

An interesting feature that Audi offers with both variants of the 2025 RS Q8 models is something known as electromechanical active roll stabilization (eAWS). This feature makes use of separate electric motors positioned between two halves of the stabilizer that connect the two axles of the car. These motors activate while cornering or when the car encounters lateral body movement, and turn the stabilizer in the opposite direction of each other. This system, in turn, contributes to a smoother ride in various conditions.

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Another functional design element exclusive to the 2025 Audi RS Q8 lineup are the Matrix LED headlights' "new lighting technology." Audi also gives buyers the option to upgrade to an additional set of high-beam headlights called "the Audi laser light," which offers a significantly greater range of vision compared to the standard headlights. The car also gets OLED rear lights that give buyers to choose between five light signatures, which can be changed using Audi's Multimedia Interface (MMI).

Audi has confirmed that orders for the Audi RS Q8 and RS Q8 Performance will open starting on June 27, 2024. As for pricing, the base variant of the standard Audi RS Q8 starts at 141,900 euros ($152,000), while the prices for the more powerful Audi RS Q8 Performance start at 155,700 euros ($166,000).