Audi Q8

FIRST UK DRIVE New flagship coupé-SUV hits British roads. Is it just as impressive?

- James Brodie

AUDI is the latest premium brand to be bitten by the coupé-SUV bug. The Q8 is the maker’s new flagship 4x4 (this S line model carries a premium of around £7,200 over the equivalent Q7 on which it’s strongly based) and is now in Audi dealers up and down the land.

With a rakish design and new interior, it stands out at the very top end of the line-up. It also means Audi now fields a true rival for the BMW X6 and Mercedes GLE Coupé, two models that have come to define the coupé-SUV niche.

So what exactly separates this car from the Q7 with which it shares a platform? Plenty has changed at Audi in the past two years and the Q8 proves it.

The firm’s latest design language is carved into the coupé shape, with a larger grille and sportier, more angular front apron. New headlamps, plus a full width LED lighting strip on the tailgate, complete the look, while frameless windows inject a premium sense of occasion and make it immediately feel more than just a rakish Q7.