Is Mansory’s Audi RS Q8 the New World’s Fastest SUV?
Claiming the title of ‘world’s fastest’ doesn’t just matter to supercar owners. It can also be a mark of pride in the luxury SUV world. Bentley still claims the 2021 Bentayga Speed holds the title. But British tuner Lister’s 675-hp Jaguar F-Pace-based Stealth is even faster. However, another tuner, Mansory, has thrown itself into the debate. It claims its modified Audi RS Q8 is truly the world’s fastest SUV.
Mansory has a history of modifying supercars and super SUVs
Like its fellow tuner Brabus, Mansory is based in Germany. And it too has an extensive back catalog of tricked-out projects. Though admittedly, Mansory’s sense of style doesn’t always fit everyone’s tastes. Motor Trend has even called the tuner’s past works “heinous automotive sins.”
Still, if what you want is more presence and performance, Mansory definitely delivers. Few high-end marques escape the German tuner’s touch. In the past, it’s tweaked Lamborghinis, Bentleys, Rolls-Royces, and Ford GTs, Road & Track reports. Mansory has also given the Mercedes-Benz S-Class close to 1000 hp, Car and Driver reports. It’s also boosted the BMW 7 Series to 640 hp, R&T reports.
Mansory’s even taken a few pages from Brabus’ book. For one, it’s worked on several G-Wagens, including a G63 inspired by falconry, R&T reports. It’s also dabbled in EVs. Though instead of Smart cars, Mansory tweaked a Model S, Automobile reports.
And now, the German tuner has turned to the Audi RS Q8.
How Mansory turned the Audi RS Q8 into a 199-mph SUV
The 2020 Audi RS Q8 is already a fairly rapid luxury SUV (though it’s technically a crossover).
Under the hood is a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 that’s shared with the Lamborghini Urus. The Audi RS Q8 doesn’t have quite as much power as the Urus, but it’s still good for 591 hp and 590 lb-ft. Which, together with the 8-speed automatic and standard all-wheel drive, lets the 5291-lb SUV go 0-60 mph in a claimed 3.8 seconds, The Drive reports. And its top speed is just under 190 mph.
The Audi RS Q8 tuned by Mansory, though, is even faster. The German tuner installed a high-performance exhaust and modified the engine’s ECU. The V8 now develops 780 hp and 738 lb-ft, Motor1 reports. As a result, the SUV goes 0-62 mph in 3.3 seconds, on to a top speed of 199 mph, Hagerty reports.
Luckily, Mansory didn’t modify just the Audi RS Q8’s engine. It also gave the luxury SUV a carbon-fiber hood, larger wheels, and a carbon-fiber body kit. There’s more carbon-fiber inside, along with a Mansory steering wheel. The interior also features red stitching, matching the new red stripes on the outside.
As with the Lister Stealth, it’s difficult to call the Mansory Audi RS Q8 the world’s fastest production SUV, given that it’s a tuned vehicle. Plus, the 199-mph top speed hasn’t been verified by the Guinness Book of World Records. But if it holds up, then Mansory will have eclipsed both Lister and Bentley.
Can you get one?
Mansory’s Audi RS Q8 doesn’t appear to be a limited-production vehicle. If you have a stock RS Q8, the tuner will modify it. Though as of this writing, it’s unclear if the engine modifications pass US emissions.
However, getting one won’t be easy on your wallet. The standard RS Q8 starts at $114,500. And as of this writing, Mansory hasn’t released official pricing for its version. But it’ll likely be in the ‘if you have to ask’ range.
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