RS Q8 Gives YouTuber a Thrill No Other SUV Offers
Lightly modded RS Q8 jumps to over 700 horses from the big V8, more than enough the slam the big daddy to 60 in the low 3s.
You want performance, but you also need to haul your family around. Audi’s got quite a few options for you. If you desire a ride where you ride high, though, and don’t necessarily need to step out onto the dirt, then the RS Q8 should be your first choice. Not only does it have a commanding presence, but the power to match. Just set it up to RS 2 mode, then let those 591 horses fly out of the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8.
Of course, if you’ve got some money to spare, you could up the power with little more than some new plumbing and a tune. That’s what YouTuber Alex Palmeri of Legit Street Cars discovered when he visited Mancuso Collison Custom near his Chicago home.
“Today, I have borrowed a very special SUV from the fine people at Mancuso Collision Custom here in Glenview, Illinois,” said Palmeri. “This is a 2021 Audi RS Q8. But it’s not just any Audi RS Q8. This one has a couple of modifications that bring its horsepower level up to about 700. It is a wild ride, and we’re gonna be taking it out for a nice leisurely cruise here in a moment, just to test out its drivability and see how comfortable it is.”
Though the star of the show is the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, Mancuso added a Velocity AP tune and a new set of downpipes to bring up the stable to that 700-horse figure. Otherwise, nothing’s changed. The RS Q8 still has its 23-inch wheels, its big brakes with red calipers, and its luxury interior. Let’s see how this flagship SUV handles the open road, though.
“Let’s go to RS 1 mode,” said Palmeri after finding Comfort mode wasn’t hardcore enough. “That changes the cluster and the heads-up display to kind of a race mode. Very race-inspired. We can see power percentage and torque. This has a 60/40 torque split, 60% going to the rear, 40% in the front. I believe it even gets more aggressive than that in RS 2 mode.”
Palmeri wasn’t wrong. Once he switched on RS 2 (which turns off stability and traction controls), all 700+ ponies thundered down the road. And once he brought it back to the shop, he managed to rip a zero-to-60 of 3.15 seconds. All through a tune and some downpipes.
“After a test drive like that, how do you drive anything else?” asks Palmeri. “I’m gonna be driving my Tesla back, which is quick. But it doesn’t make any noise. There isn’t really much of a soul.”
Sounds like he needs to trade in that Tesla for an RS Q8. We certainly would.
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