ABT Sportsline’s special edition RS Q8 is a little bit of an oddball, as in we’re not sure who exactly it’s for. The Legacy Edition RS Q8 delivers massive power, with 120 horses more than the factory Audi. It also offers an extreme makeover, adding big side skirts, flares, and other body add-ons to transform the RSQ8 from subtle to overt. It’s that latter change that puzzles us because much of the point of the Audi model versus its Lamborghini Urus sibling is that the Lambo is for getting looked at, and the Audi is for blending in.
ABT’s RS Q8 Now Produces 750 Horsepower
Before we get stuck thinking about that, let’s dive into what the Audi RS Q8 from German tuning legend ABT Sportsline gives you. Horsepower is boosted from 631 in a stock RS Q8 Performance to a claimed 750 hp. Torque climbs, too, rising up to 723 lb-ft. ABT gets that extra power through a new intercooler as well as revised engine tuning. It doesn’t dive too deeply into the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 to extract that output.
Speaking of output, there should be plenty from the exhaust. Four four-inch tailpipes protrude from underneath the RS Q8 LE’s new rear bumper, with new mufflers doing the least amount possible to silence the engine. ABT calls the sound “adequate.”
ABT tunes the SUV’s suspension, too. Since this is a modern air-ride car, that tuning comes from the computer and not via new dampers. ABT Level Control adjusts the air suspension and active roll system for more athletic performance than the factory Audi calibration.
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The ABT body kit comes with an extensive list of new parts. A new front lip comes with an RS Q8-LE logo, there are new front skirts, mirror caps, and fender extensions all made from carbon fiber. It also has hood inserts and fender vents, once again made from the composite material, and there is a brand new big wing mounted on the rear. ABT says these deliver improved aero performance and that they’re not just for looks, even though they turn your RS Q8 into something a lot meaner-looking than the original. Massive 23-inch wheels with 295/35R23 tires keep the suspension planted and the power to the pavement.
Subtle Cabin Changes And Loads Of Carbon
Interior changes are more subtle than the outside improvements. ABT adds its Alcantara wheel as well as new carbon covers for the shift paddles, gear selector, seat frame covers, dash, and a few other spots to help dress things up. You get numbered door sills showing that this is 1 of just 125 Legacy Edition models, and you get new floor mats and a new mat for the boot. We assume that the mats alone boost the top speed potential by at least a couple of mph.
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Adding this to your RS Q8 will set you back €95,900, which is just shy of $100,000. Add that to a stock RSQ8, and you’re looking at about $240,000 before options. Almost exactly the starting price of a Lamborghini Urus, which offers more exclusivity, a bolder appearance, and, well, a Raging Bull on the hood.
However, although it has all of those visual advantages, the Urus is missing something when compared with ABT’s RSQ8: about 90 horsepower. ABT’s RS delivers a lot more than the 641 hp of the Urus, and that alone might be enough for 125 buyers.
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