Photo: X-Tomi Design
Sports Activity Coupes may not be everyone's cup of tea, but their popularity has increased so much that models have begun to diversify. BMW now offers a chopped version of the X3, which we thing is pretty cool. The X4 is smaller than most of its competitors, so it works well with 2-liter engines and fits down some of Europe's more crammed corridors.
Mercedes is about to enter the SAC fray with a car called the GLE Coupe, essentially an ML-Class with a chopped roof and sporty attitude.
Audi has been conspicuously missing from this segment, something that's about to change in the next three years with the arrival of the Q8 flagship. It's already been confirmed by the company's new designer, Marc Lichte, who suggested everything from green e-tron technology to the RS badge could be thrown in, compensating for the fact that BMW has offered the X6 for a decade more (X6 production started in 2007, the Q8 is expected in 2017).
Knowing they like to look at the more practical side of things, we expect Audi's designers to forgo the four-door coupe body in favor of a more practical notchback. But there can be no doubting that the Q8 will be sportier than the second-generation Q7.
Unlike the BMW X6, which is aimed squarely at the upper premium market, the Audi Q8 could be relatively cheap. The starting price could be somewhere in the region of €63,000 or £50,000 and depending on the market even four-cylinder turbo engines could be offered, not that this is something to get excited about.
Editor's note: The Q8 is already confirmed for production. And yet Lamborghini has been waiting for two years to be allowed to make the ultra-sexy Urus SUV.
Audi has been conspicuously missing from this segment, something that's about to change in the next three years with the arrival of the Q8 flagship. It's already been confirmed by the company's new designer, Marc Lichte, who suggested everything from green e-tron technology to the RS badge could be thrown in, compensating for the fact that BMW has offered the X6 for a decade more (X6 production started in 2007, the Q8 is expected in 2017).
Knowing they like to look at the more practical side of things, we expect Audi's designers to forgo the four-door coupe body in favor of a more practical notchback. But there can be no doubting that the Q8 will be sportier than the second-generation Q7.
The Lichte touch
Speaking of looks, we have a fresh rendering from X-Tomi Design to give us a bit of insight into what the Q8 may look like. You can almost taste the disappointment in Lichte's words whenever he talks about the Q7. The designer arrived too late at Audi to do anything about the SUV, but has pledged more unique and emotional designs in the future, previewed by his widely acclaimed Prologue concept car.Unlike the BMW X6, which is aimed squarely at the upper premium market, the Audi Q8 could be relatively cheap. The starting price could be somewhere in the region of €63,000 or £50,000 and depending on the market even four-cylinder turbo engines could be offered, not that this is something to get excited about.
Editor's note: The Q8 is already confirmed for production. And yet Lamborghini has been waiting for two years to be allowed to make the ultra-sexy Urus SUV.
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