Audi will start the new year with a sensation: At the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit in January 2017, the premium manufacturer is to present the Audi Q8 concept.
The near-production study represents a synthesis of the emotional styling of a coupé and the spaciousness that typifies an SUV. With this move, the brand is unlocking a new segment for the full-size category.
The study vehicle’s front end is imposing. The octagonal Singleframe is considerably wider than that in Audi’s current production models. It is positioned well forward, with three-dimensional sculpting. Many design elements of the Q8 concept are reminiscent of the Audi Ur-quattro of the 1980s. They include the extremely flat but very wide C-post, and the prominent, flared shoulders above the wheels. These balanced proportions give equal emphasis to the front and rear wheels – typically quattro.
