Audi Q8 Concept is a mean, chiseled mamma jamma
It's also proof that swoopy-coupe styling will eventually claim every German automaker.
Volkswagen is bringing a big ol' electric concept to the North American International Auto Show in Detroit next month. Audi 's got a new concept, as well, and while it might not be electric, it's certainly a big ol' thing.
The Q8 concept will be unveiled during Audi's press conference in Detroit in January. Audi claims this vehicle is a "near-production study" that blends the styling of a coupe with the spaciousness of a sport utility vehicle. That being said, Audi says the concept only has four seats, which doesn't sound very spacious.
The front end sports a massive grille, wider than any other Audi offering, which is a clear giveaway that there won't be much in the way of electric-drive components. It's a good old-fashioned hulking brute of an SUV, probably snorting out horsepower by the hundreds. The lights may be thin, but the rest of the car sure isn't -- those fenders look positively yuge.
While it may not be an EV, there's no doubt the Q8 Concept will come loaded with a good deal of next-gen Audi tech, even if it's only offered as a preview. With a new A8 on the way, what you see in the Q8 Concept might arrive sooner than the Q8 itself. Considering Mercedes-Benz 's success with coupe-like SUVs (our own Emme Hall calls them "coupeovers"), it's no surprise Audi is making a move in that direction, too.
What I find most striking, however, is the side profile of the rear end. It's very nearly a shot-for-shot remake of the last Lamborghini Urus concept. Unless Lamborghini closed the door on the Urus in favor of letting Audi release a Q8, there's a chance -- albeit slim -- that this concept could also give us a hint into the future of Lamborghini's SUV efforts. They're all part of the same family, after all.