By Mabuyane Mabuza
Sometimes one cannot help but wonder what the automotive scene will look like ten years from now. Some of us have watched the industry evolve, cars becoming more advanced, established manufacturers shrinking, and new players emerging. Through it all, the Germans and the Italians have remained the benchmark of aspirational motoring.
Audi is one of the brands that has felt the shifts of recent years, especially as the wind began blowing east. The company is still very much present, albeit smaller in local visibility than it once was.
That is why I could not contain my excitement when confirmation came through for the RS Q8 I had requested. Memories of the days when Audi’s presence was dominant came flooding back, when the likes of the Audi RS4, Audi R8 and Audi RS6 would make people stop mid-sentence just to stare.
Audi has moved with the times. The RS Q8 and I quickly became acquainted, and things got interesting. Some cars have the ability to make you feel young again. This is one of them.
There is a particular kind of arrogance that announces itself before you even glance at the RS Q8. A low, urgent rumble promises more than mere speed. In the metal, it feels like a grand statement. A performance SUV that refuses to be anything but extreme. It carries a sports car’s heart inside an SUV body and wears that contradiction with confidence.
Performance
Press the start button and the RS Q8 responds with a taut, muscular growl that hums through the chassis. This is a powerplant that seems to exist for one purpose: acceleration.
In its rawest form, the RS Q8 is explosive. Not a frantic, peaky thrill, but a deep, relentless shove. When the turbochargers spool, the car moves like a predator springing from cover. From take-off, the sensation is immediate. The car lunges forward, the world compresses, and the speedometer climbs with clinical inevitability. Launching it feels less like pressing an accelerator and more like releasing a coiled giant.
Yet the bravado is balanced by refinement. Beneath that shove lies a remarkably cultured engine. Power delivery is smooth and linear when required, and the V8 note is engineered artistry. Rich and throaty under load, restrained and composed on a relaxed cruise.
Gear changes are crisp and purposeful, vibrations are carefully contained, and the overall experience feels precise rather than crude. In short bursts, it is feral. Over long distances, it is civilised. That duality is the RS Q8’s true strength.
Design
Visually, the RS Q8 is purposeful intimidation. Wide hips, broad bumper intakes and flared arches give it the stance of a modern road warrior. The blacked-out grille, sharp creases and subtle RS badging project menace without theatrics.
From every angle it reads as a thoroughbred disguised in an everyday body. An elegant aggressor, if you will.
The Drive
Purists will inevitably be divided. Some will scoff at an SUV wearing an RS badge. Others will marvel at the engineering required to make such mass perform with credibility.
A dedicated two-door sports car will always offer sharper feedback, purer balance and more intimate engagement. The RS Q8 cannot replicate that. What it does offer is something different. Massive, usable performance combined with genuine practicality.
For enthusiasts who appreciate brute engine power delivered with technical sophistication, the RS Q8 answers many prayers. For those who worship minimalism and surgical precision, it remains indulgent and imperfect, yet undeniably compelling. I find myself somewhere in between, able to appreciate a brutal engine no matter what shape it occupies.
Tough Choice
Buyers in this segment are spoiled. Rivals such as the Porsche Cayenne Turbo and Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid, both from the same broader family, stand tall. Then there are the BMW X6 M and BMW X5 M, along with offerings from Mercedes- AMG such as the Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S. Choosing becomes less about capability and more about character.
Technology
Audi equips the RS Q8 with a full suite of contemporary technology. The infotainment system is crisp and responsive, with large touchscreens integrating navigation, connectivity and multimedia seamlessly. Driver assistance systems are comprehensive, including adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping support.
The active air suspension and selectable drive modes allow the car to shift from a pillow-smooth cruiser to a taut performance machine. Adjustable exhaust settings let you decide how vocal the RS Q8 should be.
From time to time, I perform my big aunty duties, ferrying my siblings’ children around. The new generation seems to love technology more than McDonald's. Give them screens and they swipe left and right with the confidence of seasoned app users. In that regard, the RS Q8 passes the test with ease.
Verdict
The RS Q8 is an audacious proposition. A full-size SUV that accelerates like a supercar, sounds dramatic and remains civilised enough for daily life. It makes no apologies for its size or appetite.
It is precisely the sort of machine that can add a little spice to middle-aged routines. That is, of course, if the R3 266 000 price tag does not bring you back to earth.
