Audi Q8 leaked ahead of Shanghai reveal

Team OD Updated: July 05, 2019, 04:00 PM IST

Images of the 2019 Audi Q8 which is set to be unveiled in a matter of hours have leaked on the internet. Audi will take the wraps off its new flagship SUV, the Audi Q8 tomorrow at the Audi China Brand Summit Shenzhen in Shanghai. The leaked images show that the Q8 closely follows the design set out with the Q8 concept unveiled last year. Design elements like the tapering roofline, the connected lightbar between the taillamps, and the big signature octagonal grille set it apart from the Q7. The 2019 Audi Q8 will sit above the Q7 in the carmaker's line-up and will be a sportier alternative to the latter. Creased fenders above the wheel wells and integrated trapezoidal exhausts complete the look. The Q8 has been spotted testing in various locations including India on multiple occasions.

Powertrain options will also mimic those found on its other siblings, this means a range of V6 petrol and diesel motors. The range-topping engine will be the 4.0-litre V8 also seen on the Urus but will likely put out more than 600PS in this car. A plug-in hybrid option will likely be made available as well. This combines a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 and an electric motor fed by a 17.9 kWh lithium-ion battery to produce around 438PS and 700Nm of torque. About 60 km of all-electric range should be made available.

The Q8 will be based on the MLB Evo platform which forms the basic structure for Volkswagen's high-end SUVs like the Audi Q7, new VW Touareg, Porsche Cayenne Lamborghini Urus and Bentley Bentayga. The Q8 was shown in concept form at the 2017 Detroit auto show which previewed an interior layout similar to the A8's new twin-screen setup. The basic dash design should be modeled along the A8's as well with similar features and trim options. The Q8 is expected to launch in early 2019 internationally and in India later in the year.

The SUV will be Audi's response to its main rivals offering increasingly high-end SUVs. Buyers, especially in China and USA, have shown a great appetite for ultra-luxurious SUVs and this seems like a logical addition to the portfolio of an upmarket brand like Audi. The Audi Q8 will compete with the likes of the Range Rover, the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class, and the upcoming BMW X7.