Audi SQ8 SUV Launched In India At Rs 1.78 Crores
Audi has launched the new Audi SQ8 SUV in India at an introductory price of Rs 1.78 crores (ex-showroom). In its India portfolio, the SQ8 sits between the Q8 and the full-blown RS Q8. This positioning is crucial. It appeals to buyers seeking strong performance without compromising much on everyday liveability. Bookings for the SQ8 are now open.
Let’s look at the prices now. The regular Q8 is priced at Rs 1.13 Crores, ex-showroom. The RS Q8 has an ex-showroom price of Rs 2.38 Crores. The SQ8 is Rs 65 lakh more expensive than the regular Q8 and Rs 60 lakh cheaper than the RS Q80- a compelling middle ground!
The SQ8 also has a coupe-like roof line. The styling is significantly sportier than that of the Q8, but isn’t as aggressive as that of the RS Q8. It gets HD Matrix LED headlights with Audi laser light, 22-inch alloy wheels (you can choose from three interesting designs), optional ceramic brakes with Anthracite Grey calipers, S-specific bumpers, illuminated door sills with S-logo, frameless doors, connected OLED tail-lights, a roof spoiler, quad exhaust tips, an aggressive diffuser and more.
Several personalisation options are available. Carbon Style, Black Styling, and Black Styling Plus packages are offered.
Eight exterior colour options are available on the SQ8- Mythos Black Metallic, Glacier White Metallic, Sakhir Gold Metallic, Ascari Blue Metallic, Waitomo Blue Metallic, Satellite Silver Metallic, Chili Red Metallic and Daytona Gray Pearl Effect.
Inside, the SQ8 gets a sporty design and has an all-black colour theme with subtle ‘S’ detailing. The dashboard layout remains familiar. The feature list is quite long as well.
The SQ8 comes with features like powered and ventilated front seats with massage function, 10.1-inch touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, 8.6-inch secondary screen for climate controls, a 17-speaker, 730-watt Bang & Olufsen sound system, panoramic sunroof, wireless charging, soft-close doors, powered tailgate, ambient lighting package, 4-zone deluxe automatic climate control system, soft-close doors, wireless charger, and optional adaptive windshield wipers with integrated washer jets.
The SQ8 is underpinned by performance-focused platform. It gets air suspension, rear axle steering, a sport differential, and active roll stabilisation. These improve high-speed stability, cornering ability, and overall handling.
The SQ8 is powered by the same 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine as the RS Q8. It is, however, offered in a slightly detuned state and produces 507hp and 770Nm on the SQ8. This is 133hp and 80Nm less than the RSQ8’s output. All Wheel Drive (AWD) is offered and the transmission on offer is an 8-speed automatic unit. Despite the relatively lower state of tune, performance remains serious. The SQ8 does the 0-100kph sprint in 4.1 seconds and has a top speed of 250 kph.
On the safety front, the SQ8 comes equipped with 8 airbags, ABS, electronic stability control, speed limiter, traction control, parking sensors, 360-degree camera, blind spot monitoring, tyre pressure monitoring system, tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), and disc brakes on all four wheels. It even comes with a level 2 ADAS suite.
The SQ8 takes a sweet mid-spot in the Q8 lineup. In India, the Q8 competes primarily with the likes of BMW X6, Mercedes Benz GLE coupe, and Porsche Cayenne coupe.