Audi SQ8 gets 650hp from aftermarket supplements
That's more power than an RS Q8 Performance - but it'll cost you...
Abt Sportsline is no stranger to the Audi Q8. Back in 2020, it launched the outrageous RS Q8-R, a carbon fibre-plastered, 740hp version of the flagship SUV, and then a year later it turned the wick up further with the 790hp Signature Edition. For 2024, however, the German tuner has turned its attention to the rest of the Q8 range. You know, for people who want the Abt look but don’t fancy wrestling with a nigh-on 800hp super SUV on their morning commute.
Mind you, whichever model you choose to have Abt’s ‘Power S’ upgrade in, you won’t exactly be short on grunt. Bunging the engine mods onto the entry-level 50 TDI lifts it from 286hp to 330hp, while the range-topping 60 TFSIe plug-in hybrid leaps from a combined 489hp to a whopping 557hp. Impressive gains then for Audi’s V6 petrol and diesels, but what about the SQ8’s 4.0-litre, twin-turbo V8? As standard it develops 507hp and 568lb ft of torque - plenty enough, a sane person might argue - but whacking the Power S package on dials that up to 650hp and 627lb ft. That puts it 50hp ahead of Audi’s facelifted RS Q8 and 10hp more than even the Performance version. Wowzers.
Of course, you’d be crazy to buy the engine upgrades without splashing out on a bodykit. How else are you meant to show the world how much money you’ve splashed on your Q8? Admittedly, Abt’s new aero kit isn’t as flashy as the carbon-heavy package it slapped on the RS Q8-R, but you do get a floor-chafingly low front bumper, extended side skirts, a reprofiled rear bumper with four exhausts and a more aggressive spoiler. Two wheel options are available, in either 22 or 23 inches, while the interior benefits from an Abt-specific dash, illuminated Abt logos in the door sills and a carbon fibre drive selector.
Hans-Jürgen Abt, the tuner’s managing director, said: “With the refinement of the Q8 and SQ8, we are offering our customers the opportunity to experience the latest version of Audi's SUV flagship with enhanced performance and an even more dynamic driving experience shortly after the model update of the series versions.” All that power and added luxury does come at a hefty price, however. On the SQ8, the Power S upgrade alone is €11,558 (or nearly £10k), while the aero kit comes in at €6,403 (over £5k here) - and that’s before you add tax. Alternatively, you could pick up this 600hp, carbon-trimmed RS Q8 for £74,000 and call it a day.
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