German Tuner ABT has Created a 740-HP Audi RS Q8
Sure, standard Audi Q8s are quick. But ABT has taken things to the next level with the RS Q8-R.
When German tuning firm extraordinaire ABT was founded 125 years ago, the company was cranking out horseshoes, not weapons-grade luxury vehicles. But its latest creation, dubbed the Audi RS Q8-R, proves the firm still knows a few things about ponies. For the record, a stock Audi’s RS Q8 makes a robust 591 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque, which would have sounded insane just five or so years ago.
But after some work by the wizards at ABT, that figure has been bumped to a whopping 740 horsepower and 679 lb-ft — which should ensure that the kids are never late to soccer practice.
Thanks to all the extra poke, ABT says this awesome Audi will make the sprint from zero to 62 mph in 3.4 seconds, which is just a few ticks behind the latest RS6 Avant. Now, since all those gains were made simply from tweaking the engine management software, it makes sense updating some of the greasy bits will likely lead to even bigger gains — though the fact that I’m even thinking of that shows just how insane contemporary horsepower levels have gotten.
Tell me again about how the ’60s was the “Golden Age of Muscle Cars?”
Along with the power bump, there are some aesthetic improvements on the menu, including a carbon front skirt and front lip, plus mirror caps, side skirts, additional wheelhouse ventilation, fender flares, and a rear spoiler. A sleeper, this baby is not, so I’d definitely stick with the Java Green Metallic paint if I had my way.
Everything rolls on a set of custom 23-inch rims, and as the video below demonstrates, the bespoke stainless steel exhaust means it sounds like the business too. At 195, top speed is said to be just shy of the fabled 200-mph mark, which is pretty impressive for something that looks about a slippery as a brick.
If you’re looking to snag one of these beasts for yourself, you’ll need to act fast, as only 125 examples will be produced. At this point, ABT hasn’t released any pricing info, though I don’t think you’ll need any tea leaves to predict it’ll be in the “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it” range. Of course, any figure would be just a cost of entry anyway, as owners will be able to customize every bit of their fire-breathing Q8.
There’s currently no breakdown available on how many will make it to our shores, though I’d guess that if you live in the Golden State, you can forget about registering one there, given CARB. Our friends over at Autoblog report that the company is going to take the RS Q8-R to the Nürburgring later this year, so stay tuned, and keep your fingers crossed we get some good video of how it fares at the fabled Green Hell.
Photos: ABT