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The Audi e-tron has been setting standards in the electric SUV luxury class category since 2018; its sales successes have made the e-tron brand famous the world over. In the spring of 2023, the new Audi Q8 e-tron will continue the success story of the electric pioneer under a new name – as the top model of Audi’s electric SUVs and crossover models. Highlights include: optimized drive concept, improved aerodynamics, and higher charging performance and battery capacity, which increase the range to up to 600 kilometers (according to the WLTP). Significant updates, especially in the front of the vehicle, lend the new SUV flagship a fresher appearance. Audi offers the new Q8 e-tron in two body variants: as a classic SUV and as a Sportback that combines the spaciousness of an SUV with the elegant lines of a large coupé. Standing 4,915 mm in length, 1,935 mm wide, and 1,633 mm (SUV) or 1,619 mm (Sportback high, the Q8 e-tron offers maximum space and comfort. The SQ8 e-tron and SQ8 Sportback e-tron models are both two millimeters flatter and 39 mm wider. The 2,928 mm wheelbase means that even rear seat occupants have plenty of legroom. The total luggage compartment volume is also generous, with around 630 liters (including frunk) in the SUV and around 590 liters in the Sportback. With dimensions like these, the Audi Q8 e-tron offers ample space for five passengers and their luggage, making it the perfect car for long-distance drives. Three drive variants are available for each of the two body styles – all with electric all-wheel drive. The output range extends from 250 kW in the Q8 50 e-tron and 300 kW in the Q8 55 e-tron to 370 kW in the SQ8 e-tron, which is powered by three electric motors. The models’ ranges lie between 491 and 600 km.

Shifts are performed so quickly and smoothly by alternating the clutches that they are hardly perceptible. The driver can have the seven-speed S tronic shift automatically in the D or S program, or he/she can manually shift with the gearshift lever or the paddles on the steering wheel. The Launch Control function is a useful drive-off assistant for the race course. It enables an optimal start by letting out the clutch at an ideal drive-off engine speed. The quattro permanent all-wheel drive system gives the RS 5 Cabriolet a decisive advantage in traction and stability. Its technological centerpiece, the crown-gear center differential, is lightweight and compact. In normal driving operation, it distributes torque between the front and rear axles at a 40:60 ratio; if necessary, it can direct up to 70 percent to the front or a maximum of 85 percent to the rear. Torque vectoring – an intelligent software solution – completes the center differential’s work tasks. If a wheel at the inside of a curve begins to lose its grip when cornering at speed, it is braked slightly before any slip occurs – this keeps the RS 5 Cabriolet neutral for an exceptionally long time in extreme driving conditions. As an option, Audi can install a sport differential that actively distributes power between the rear wheels via two superposition gears. A perfect supplement to the quattro drivetrain, it presses the RS 5 Cabriolet into the curve at the handling limits, counteracting any tendency to oversteer or understeer right from the outset. Chassis The chassis of the four-seat convertible exhibits a high level of technical complexity. Many components of the five-link front suspension and the self-tracking trapezoidal-link rear suspension are made of aluminum. The speed-dependent power steering system utilizes an electromechanical drive unit; it provides direct and sensitive steering feedback and is highly efficient.