Let us get one thing straight right at the beginning, the Audi SQ8 is not sensible, its not rational; and certainly not necessary. Which is precisely why it is utterly brilliant. Sitting smugly between the relatively well behaved Audi Q8 and the frankly unhinged Audi RS Q8 Performance, the SQ8 is what you might call the sweet spot. It has just enough lunacy to make you grin, but not so much that your neighbours start a petition.
Now, let us talk numbers, because this is where things get properly interesting. Under that rather muscular bonnet sits a 4.0 litre V8 TFSI engine pushing out 500hp and a colossal 770 Nm of torque. In plain English that means it will catapult this rather large SUV from 0 to 100 kmh in just 4.1 seconds. In something this big, it is like watching a rhinoceros win a sprint race.
And thanks to quattro all wheel drive with a self locking centre differential, it does not just go fast in a straight line. It grips. It claws. It practically dares corners to try something funny. Add to that adaptive air suspension sport and all wheel steering and suddenly this big SUV starts behaving like something much smaller and much angrier. But Audi being Audi has not just stopped at making it quick. Oh no. They have given it theatre, proper theatre. The S specific sport exhaust makes a noise that can only be described as deeply addictive. It does not shout like a supercar. It growls. Like it has something to prove.
On the outside it looks exactly how a fast SUV should look. Slightly menacing. Slightly over the top. You get HD Matrix LED headlights with laser light which sounds like something out of a sci-fi film but actually means you can see everything. There are frameless doors which add a touch of drama every time you get in and out, and a massive panoramic sunroof because apparently subtlety is not invited to this party.
Step inside and things take a turn from aggressive to indulgent. You are greeted with sport seats wrapped in a mix of leather and Dinamica microfiber with S embossing, a flat bottom steering wheel that makes you feel like you should be on a racetrack even if you are just stuck in Delhi traffic, and a cabin that feels like a very expensive lounge. Then there is the Bang and Olufsen 3D sound system. 17 speakers. 730 watts. It is less of an audio system and more of a private concert hall. You will find yourself taking the long way home just to finish a song.
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In terms of comfort it has everything. Four zone climate control, ambient lighting with 30 colour options, soft closing doors, wireless charging, and enough tech to make you forget what silence used to feel like. It even comes with serious safety kit including multiple airbags and driver assistance systems to keep all that performance in check. And here is the kicker. It is priced at INR 1.77 crore ex showroom in India. Which in the world of high performance luxury SUVs is almost reasonable. Almost. So what is the Audi SQ8 really about. It is about excess done properly. It is about having a car that can demolish highways, handle corners, pamper you, and still carry your luggage without complaint. Absolutely fantastic.
