Skip to main content

Audi’s dapper Q8 concept hints at the company’s upcoming flagship crossover

Audi’s Q8 concept made its world debut at the Detroit Auto Show. The design study accurately previews a production model that will arrive in showrooms as early as next year.

The Q8 is a four-door crossover-coupe in the vein of the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe and the BMW X6, but it’s a little bigger than its two rivals so it inaugurates a new segment, according to the company. It elevates Audi’s design language to new heights by adopting styling cues such as a grille with vertical slats that’s wider than the one found on the company’s current models, and ultra-thin tail lamps connected by a light bar.

Recommended Videos

Audi points out the muscular-looking front end and the pronounced, vented rear haunches pay homage to the original Quattro coupe that dominated the rally scene during the 1980s. The soft-roader undeniably puts a bigger emphasis on form than on function, but it nonetheless offers 22 cubic feet of trunk space with four passengers aboard.

Key information about the Q8 and its surroundings is displayed either on the digital, configurable instrument cluster or on the heads-up display. Touch-sensitive surfaces replace virtually all of the switches, knobs, and buttons typically found on the dashboard, a solution which gives the cabin a clean, uncluttered look.

Discreet e-tron emblems inside and out reveal power comes from a gasoline-electric plug-in hybrid drivetrain. A 3.0-liter TFSI V6 engine works with a compact electric motor integrated into an eight-speed automatic transmission to send 442 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels. The Q8 hits 62 mph from a stop in 5.4 seconds, and it goes on to a top speed that’s electronically limited to 155 mph. Alternatively, the 17.9-kWh lithium-ion battery pack stores enough electricity to power the Q8 on its own for 37 miles.

Audi openly admits the Q8 e-tron is a thinly veiled, close-to-production concept, and a toned-down version of it will join the company’s lineup next year as a 2019 model. Its size — and the Q8 nameplate — both hint it will be positioned at the top of the company’s lineup when it goes on sale.

Ronan Glon
Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…
Electric Muscle Misfire? Dodge Pulls Charger Daytona R/T from 2026 Lineup
electric muscle misfire dodge pulls charger daytona r t from 2026 lineup all new

The Dodge Charger Daytona R/T, once hailed as the vanguard of Dodge’s electric muscle car future, is being dropped for the 2026 model year.
According to a report from MoparInsiders, the Scat Pack variant will now lead the Daytona lineup, marking a significant pivot in Stellantis’ EV strategy.
Originally introduced with bold ambitions, the Charger Daytona R/T was designed to offer an accessible gateway into electric performance. With its 456-horsepower dual-motor setup and optional 509-horsepower Direct Connection stage kit, it seemed poised to excite both muscle car fans and EV newcomers. However, market realities have painted a different picture.
Industry and media reports highlight the core issue: buyers just weren’t biting. Despite its impressive specs and nostalgic design cues, the R/T struggled to justify its price tag, starting near $60,000. At that level, buyers expected either more performance or more premium features. Without strong sales traction, Dodge made the tough call to shelve the R/T variant for 2026, opting instead to focus on trims that resonate better with customers.
As we reported in December, the Charger EV was launched with an off-beat marketing message to “save the planet from self-driving sleep pods.” The goal was to retain Dodge’s brand identity—muscle, aggression, and driver engagement—even in the electric era. The Charger Daytona R/T was supposed to be the perfect balance of price and performance, but it seems the target audience wasn’t ready to make that leap at that price.
Importantly, this doesn’t spell the end of the Charger Daytona altogether. Higher-performance models like the Scat Pack and Banshee are still in the pipeline and, interestingly, are being adjusted for price competitiveness. Several trims are reportedly seeing price cuts, suggesting Stellantis is serious about making these vehicles more appealing and accessible.
For enthusiasts, the takeaway is clear: the electric muscle car isn’t going anywhere, but automakers are still figuring out how to sell it. The demise of the R/T is less a failure and more a recalibration—proof that even the boldest plans need to stay flexible in the face of consumer demand.

Read more
The all-electric Cadillac Vistiq makes the Escalade redundant
2026 Cadillac Vistiq front-quarter view.

Cadillac wants a full lineup of electric vehicles, and it’s nearly there. It has a standard crossover SUV (the Lyriq), an entry-level model (the Optiq), an electric version of its flagship Escalade (the Escalade IQ), and even a baroque showpiece (the Celestiq). But something’s missing.

For a modern luxury brand, a midsize three-row crossover is key. Customers for whom a Toyota Highlander is too déclassé need something to take their kids to lacrosse practice, but may not want something as big as an Escalade. This isn’t the most exciting design brief, and that’s reflected in the gasoline Cadillac XT6, which has always felt like nothing more than a placeholder. Its new electric counterpart, the 2026 Cadillac Vistiq, is anything but.

Read more
With the Ioniq 9, Hyundai struggles to clear its own high bar
2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 front quarter view.

Hyundai has used the clean-sheet nature of electric powertrains to make new vehicles radically different from its internal-combustion models, but what happens when the best thing a new car can be is ordinary? The 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 is a three-row SUV that, to succeed, needs to prioritize space and an effortless ownership experience over radical styling or sports-car driving dynamics. That doesn’t leave much room for creativity, but Hyundai has done its best by giving the Ioniq 9 futuristic styling combined with the proven E-GMP dedicated EV platform from its other Ioniq models and the Kia EV9.  The enthusiastic response to the EV9, from Hyundai’s sibling brand, shows why, despite having two gasoline three-row SUVs in its lineup already, Hyundai needed an all-electric one as well.

Another daring design from Hyundai

Read more