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Audi RS Q8 vs. Lamborghini Urus Photo Comparison: Same Steak, Different Spices?

Audi has launched its own rival to the Lamborghini Urus, the new RS Q8. Not only are both of these models very similar (both from a mechanical and visual standpoint), but they are also sold by the same parent company.
Audi RS Q8 vs Lamborghini urus 6 photos
Photo: Audi
Audi RS Q8 vs Lamborghini UrusAudi RS Q8 vs Lamborghini UrusAudi RS Q8 vs Lamborghini UrusAudi RS Q8 vs Lamborghini UrusAudi RS Q8 vs Lamborghini Urus
Both cars also ride on the VW group MLBevo platform, both are powered by a 4-liter twin-turbo V8 and they address pretty much the same type of buyer. The engine is the same unit (albeit with more power in the case of the Lambo), a mill shared with the Porsche Cayenne and Panamera, as well as the Bentley Continental V8 and Flying Spur V8.

The Urus is the more powerful vehicle of the two, with 640 horsepower versus Audi’s 591 horsepower, and it has some extra torque too - 850 Nm (627 pound-feet) versus 800 Nm (590 pound feet). And this obviously has an effect on performance, since the two vehicles weigh roughly the same.

Audi RS Q8 vs Lamborghini Urus
Photo: Audi/Lamborghini
The Lamborghini has a claimed sprint time from standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) 3.6 seconds and its top speed is 305 km/h (189.5 mph). The Audi RS Q8, with its lower output V8, takes a little longer to accelerate, completing the benchmark sprint in 3.8 seconds, but it’s actually a tiny bit faster at the top end - it can reach 306 km/h (190 mph).

As previously stated, these two vehicles also look pretty similar too. From the side, the Lamborghini does have a more aggressive shape to its greenhouse (whereas that of the RS Q8 looks more practically minded and also offers superior outward visibility) and its roofline is also much more steeply sloped towards the rear.

The Lambo also looks more like a fastback than the Audi - from the side, at least, it’s clearly the sportier looking of the two.

Move your perspective to a front three-quarter view, though, and the Lambo’s more rakish profile is less evident. From this angle, the Audi looks more aggressive thanks to its more pronounced blistered wheel arches, its in-your-face grille, and those unique RS side skirts.

Audi RS Q8 vs Lamborghini Urus
Photo: Audi/Lamborghini
Before actually starting to compare photos and assessing the differences, I honestly thought it was already a foregone conclusion that the Lambo will look like the sportier vehicle from every angle, and I was actually quite surprised that this just isn’t so. Had we been comparing the SQ8 and the Urus, it would have been the Lambo that would have won based on how sporty it looked, but the changes Audi has made to this RS Q8 really do change it dramatically.

From a rear three-quarter perspective, there really is no contest between the Lambo and Audi. The RS Q8 is undeniably sportier looking than the SQ8, but it can’t match the Urus’ even bolder shapes. The Lambo looks meaner and more hunkered down, more planted, while the Q8 appears to have been designed with a bit more practicality in mind - there is a big difference between the size of the rear side windows between the two cars.

Overall, while there is a big difference in sporty look between the SQ8 and RS Q8 (plus the fact that from the front, I think it’s the Audi that actually looks like the more imposing, more aggressive vehicle), the Urus remains the most aggressive looking SUV on sale right now. It’s also got a slight performance and exclusivity edge over the Audi, and even if it’s around 20 percent more expensive, the extra cred of having a Lambo badge will be worth it for many buyers looking to spend in this segment.

Audi RS Q8 vs Lamborghini Urus
Photo: Audi/Lamborghini

At the same time, you can look at the RS Q8 as a slightly cheaper and more practical version of the Urus, that isn’t noticeably slower and it will be as impressive nine times out of ten. So for that reason, I think the Audi ends up being the more desirable vehicle of the two, even with the undeniable extra appeal of having a raging bull badge on your super SUV’s hood.
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