Alfa Romeo Audi Bentayga Bentley BMW Jeep Lamborghini RS Q8 Stelvio Urus X5 SUV

5 rivals that could give the Audi RS Q8 a hard time

Alvaro Avilés 17 December 2019 5 min.

5 rivals that could give the Audi RS Q8 a hard time

The Audi RS Q8 has arrived to become the king of performance SUVs. However, we are going to present five rivals that could put it under serious pressure

The Audi RS Q8 has recently been unveiled as the most sporty and radical version of the coupé-style SUV from the brand with the four rings. Compared to the already aggressive look of the more mundane versions, this new top-of-the-range model has been to the gym to sport new air intakes, widened wheel arches and enormous optional 23-inch wheels.

However, what defines the sportiness of this model is the brilliant 4.0-litre TFSI V8 engine. It produces a whopping 600 hp, delivering no less than 800 Nm of torque. With this power, it deserves its place in our list of the most powerful SUVs on the market.

With this, it accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds and takes 13.7 to reach 200 km/h. It also has a top speed limited to 250 km/h, although if fitted with the dynamic pack, this SUV exceeds the 300 km/h barrier.

These performance figures are typical of a true supercar, so it would be logical for the new Audi RS Q8 to be the absolute king of the segment. However, there are already crossovers for every taste and, of course, there are options that will make things very difficult for the latest sports SUV from the brand with the four rings.

For that reason, we are going to offer you five sports SUVs that can go head-to-head with the Audi RS Q8 and even put it under pressure. Let’s get into it:

These 5 SUVs are serious rivals to the Audi RS Q8

Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk

Pitting the Audi RS Q8 against the Jeep Grand Cherokee TrackHawk may not be the most logical comparison in the world, since while the model with the four rings is pure sophistication, the American is muscle taken to the extreme.

Under the bonnet of this beast we find the same engine as the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat, namely a 6.2-litre V8 driven by a huge supercharger to produce 717 horsepower. This makes it a true rocket capable of reaching 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds, that is, almost half a second less than the Audi RS Q8.

In a straight line, the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk wins hands down, but when it comes to cornering, the American SUV is not the most agile car in the world. However, all the nightmares will come at once when this V8 asks for a drink, because its consumption will hover around 20 litres per 100 kilometres.

Lamborghini Urus

The Lamborghini Urus made the purists of the Sant’Agata Bolognese brand tear their hair out, since for them it was sacrilege for the firm to launch an SUV. However, this model has earned respect on its own merits and has become one of the most brutal SUVs on the market.

Under the bonnet it has the same engine as the Audi RS Q8, namely a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. However, the nearly 90,000 euros extra that the Italian version costs has to be justified somehow, so its power is 650 horsepower -50 more than the Audi-. Thanks to this, it reaches 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds, two tenths less than the Audi RS Q8.

Bentley Bentayga Speed

The British model uses the same platform as the Lamborghini Urus or the Audi RS Q8 and, although it seems much more elegant and refined than its cousins/siblings, it also has a version with heart-stopping performance.

Its name is Bentley Bentayga Speed and, unlike the two models it shares its structure with, it houses under its bonnet an enormous 6.0-litre W12 TSI engine producing a respectable 635 hp. With these, it accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of no less than 306 km/h.

Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio Verde

The legendary Italian firm once again showcased its full sporting pedigree in 2017 with the Alfa Romeo Giulia QV and its oversized sibling, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio QV, which we got to test at its launch.

If there is one thing to highlight about this model, it is its engine, as it features a 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 which, at first glance, doesn’t seem like much compared to the other models on this list. However, what if we tell you it was developed by Ferrari?

This engine produces 510 horsepower. Although it may seem to be at a disadvantage compared to its rivals, its lower weight on the scales evens things out: it accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds –exactly the same time as the Audi RS Q8- and reaches 283 km/h.

BMW X5 M Competition

The most radical version of the fourth generation of the BMW X5 has arrived, and it clearly has its sights set on shattering the performance records of models like the Audi RS Q8. This Competition variant is for those who aren’t satisfied with the standard M variants.

The heart of this beast is a 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 that produces no less than 625 hp and 625 Nm of torque. The BMW X5 M Competition reaches 100 km/h in 3.8 seconds –the same figure as the Audi RS Q8- and, if the M Driver’s Package is fitted, its top speed can be up to 290 km/h.