Weekend Drive by Hormazd Sorabjee: Calm and also the storm
The Audi RS Q8 switches personalities at the press of a button. Cruising on both roads and rough terrain just got easier
If you’ve ever dreamt of supercar performance, but with the practicality to survive a Mumbai monsoon or a Goa weekend, the Audi RS Q8 Performance might be your match. Priced at ₹2.49 crore (ex-showroom), the SUV has had a mild facelift and been granted the rare ability to switch personalities. So, it goes from howling V8 beast to a calm luxury cruiser.
The RS Q8 Performance is the most powerful Audi RS model. Under the hood is the familiar 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8, now boosted to produce 640hp and 850Nm. That’s 40hp more than before. It weighs over two tonnes, but this SUV can sprint from 0-100kmph in just 3.6 seconds. Audi claims it can hit a top speed of 250kph. But de-restrict it and, on the right road with the right amount of madness, you’re looking at 305kmph.
This isn’t just a straight-line missile. Thanks to a Quattro all-wheel drive, active roll stabilisation and standard-fit carbon ceramic brakes, the RS Q8 corners with uncanny composure. Driving it on my favourite mountain road to Mahabaleshwar, it feels half its size. And on the expressway, it munches miles confidently. Grip levels are tremendous, and the electronics work silently, keeping everything tidy.
Switch to Comfort mode, and the adaptive suspension glides over broken tarmac, the steering lightens up, the cabin hushes down. The Off-Road mode adds 90mm of ground clearance, enough to tackle poorly paved roads.
On the outside, the RS Q8 Performance has both drama and dignity. It doesn’t scream for attention but gets it anyway. The red paint option, massive 23-inch wheels and LED DRLs catch the eye. And there’s only one RS badge at the back — no loud decals, no theatrics.
Inside is Audi’s Q8 luxury formula, dialled up for RS duty. You get double touchscreens, a digital cockpit, and rich materials throughout. There’s red contrast stitching, RS-specific seat belts, and sporty seats with massage, heating and ventilation.
Space is generous. The RS Q8 can comfortably seat five adults, and the boot, at 605 litres, is massive, though there’s no spare wheel.
The drive modes are the party trick. You can go from civilised cruiser to snarling brute with a few screen taps. But is it worth ₹2.49 crore? If you’re looking at this as just another SUV, maybe not. But if you want a car that can set a lap record at the Buddh circuit one day and tackle Mumbai traffic the next, this is a very desirable all-rounder.
Audi may not shout as loudly as its rivals, but with the RS Q8 Performance, it’s made a strong, sonorous case for the best everyday supercar for India.
From HT Brunch, April 12, 2025
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