Yes, I want petrol: that's how the new Audi SQ7 and SQ8 arrive, with the 4.0 TFSI V8 engine

Once upon a time, Audi surprised the world with the news that its S models would turn to diesel engines in the European market. That move didn’t unsettle us too much when it was applied to the SQ7, SQ8 and SQ5, large models for which a high-capacity diesel engine makes perfect sense. However, the house of the four rings has wanted to demonstrate its clear passion for petrol and its more petrolhead side with the reveal of the SQ7 and SQ8 powered by the exhilarating 4.0-litre TFSI V8.

Doesn’t that sound good? The idea of a high-performance SUV running on a petrol engine isn’t a bad one, as long as we can keep up with its maintenance and its necessary trips to the petrol station. But, to mitigate this situation, the engineers at Audi have resorted to a cylinder deactivation system and two twin-scroll turbochargers.

What does this achieve? It reduces back pressure and optimises the exchange of exhaust gas flow to improve the filling of the combustion chambers. With this approach, Audi promises an almost instantaneous response from the engine even at low revs, something made possible by the position they adopt within the 90º V angle.

But the standout point of this engine lies in its performance, with the SQ7 reaching 0 to 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds and the SQ8 in an even more impressive 3.8 seconds. This sprint is owed, in part, by Audi’s SUVs to the 507 CV and 770 Nm of torque delivered by this new 4.0-litre V8, an engine capable of catapulting both models to 250 km/h, an electronically limited top speed.

And to make the package even more attractive and improve its dynamic behaviour, the engineers in Ingolstadt have included adaptive suspension, damping control and four-wheel steering, which means the rear wheels turn in the same direction as the front ones whenever we are driving above 60 km/h. In addition, an Advanced suspension package is also offered which includes an electromechanical active roll stabilisation system (eAWS).

For now, the house of the four rings has not revealed the prices of the new SQ7 and SQ8 on the Spanish market. However, we do know they will arrive in autumn and that in Germany they will cost 93,287 and 101,085 euros respectively.