Article content Visual changes to the mildly refreshed Audi RS Q8 are subtle. Distinguishing the new one from the previous model is a redesigned honeycomb grille flanked by huge air intakes, new front and rear bumpers, new Matrix LED headlights, new wheels, new interior trim, and new colours. The 23-inch Y-spoke forged-aluminum wheels on our tester are optional, and each weigh a remarkable 5 kilos less than the standard 22 inchers.
Would you take the 2025 Audi RS Q8 to the racetrack? Why would anyone even consider lapping their favourite closed course in the RS Q8, anyway? Well, maybe because it’s powered by a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 that claims 631 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque without electric boost (up from the previous model’s 591 hp and 590 lb-ft). It’s Audi ’s most powerful engine to date, and it pulls hard enough to shove you into the seat when you put the pedal to the floor — taking just 3.
6 seconds to blast from zero to 100 km/h. Or maybe because its adaptive, height-adjustable air suspension and electronically controlled active roll stabilization are designed more for making hard passes on the Stelvio than for plodding along during the daily commute. Perhaps because its mechanical central differential distributes power to the front and rear axles accordingly (up to 70% torque up front or up to 85% rear), and works in unison with all-wheel steering to round off corners when pushing hard.
Or possibly because its massive composite front rotors and 10-pis.