Audi crowns the RS Q8 with six-digit starting price

The RS Q8 is Audi’s top-of-the-line gas-fed performance crossover, and the just-announced starting price reflects that status. The RS Q8 is the only Audi crossover, including the all-electric e-tron, with a six-digit starting price at $113,995, including destination charges. 

The news comes about a week after Audi announced pricing for the RS Q8’s little sibling, the SQ8, which is available in two trims. The SQ8 Premium Plus starts at $89,995, while the SQ8 Prestige starts at $94,495. Some simple math tells us that means the RS Q8 is $24,000 more expensive than the Premium Plus and $19,500 more expensive than the Prestige. The starting price on the baseline Q8 Premium is $69,195.

The RS Q8 has a bevy of performance-minded technologies and features. As standard, it has adaptive air suspension, all-wheel steering, active roll stabilization, and quattro all-wheel drive. Under the hood is a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 that Audi says makes 591 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. Equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission, the RS Q8 can hustle from zero to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds, and at one point in time, the RS Q8 claimed the fastest Nürburgring SUV lap time at 7:42.2. In comparison, the SQ8 also uses a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8, but it makes 500 horsepower and 568 lb-ft of torque.

The pricing for the RS Q8 is right where it needs to be in terms of competitor offerings. The 577-horsepower Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S Coupe starts at $113,995, the 617-horsepower BMW X6M Competition starts at $118,595 (the 600-horsepower X6M starts at $109,595), and the 575-horsepower Range Rover Sport SVR starts at $115,795. The 541-horsepower Porsche Cayenne Turbo Coupe is in its own world and starts at $131,450. 

For more information, read Autoblog‘s impressions from the RS Q8 first drive.

Note: European model shown in lead photo.