12/09/2026
In the middle of nowhere (actually maybe Nottinghamshire) with the Audi RSQ8 Performance. The spec will split opinion - some will say “of all the colours and trims, they choose a meek blue and basic silver that won’t turn heads?” But the good person who spec’d this would rightly argue that the RSQ8 Performance doesn’t have to be all carbon’d and satin wrapped and gloss black’d like its non-identical twin; the Lamborghini Urus. It can stay sleeper-esque and let the performance do the talking. As for the rest of it, the fit and finish - with the now almost decade old interior - is a 10 out of 10, it can do 25 mpg in efficiency which is better than a slap to the face with a kipper and it’s extremely comfortable, even with adjustable back seats. But no adaptive cruise control. Howwww? Whyyyy? Performance wise, it is of course monumentally rapid and sounds great too, although I noticed very little downshift sounds vs a Performance I tested last year. It’s kind of down to this, the Urus, Cayenne or a Bentayga really and at £140k, it’s hard to comprehend that this is the budget option out of the four VW Group posh super-SUVs. To be honest, I think it’s more authentic and rarer than the Urus, which tries a bit too hard for my liking, and to be frank, do you really want a Porsche SUV? So it comes down to this or the Bentley! Or of course, one step down (which is still many steps up from what most of us own!) to the Audi SQ7/SQ8 or indeed the the VW Touareg R. All on this platform. Which would you have? All pics are mine, you’re welcome to follow for more!
