There was no way that Audi would abandon all its off-road heritage with the advent of electrification. If anything it’s merely opened up further opportunities to lean right into it: already we’ve had the wild Sport Quattro-style S1 Hoonitron, the RS e-tron GT inspired by ice racing, and a return to the Dakar for a quattro with RS Q e tron E2. Now Audi is aiming to channel some of that off-road motorsport kudos (and perhaps jump on a very popular bandwagon at the moment) with this, the Q8 e-tron edition Dakar, just a couple of days before the real rally begins and the RS Q e tron takes to the dust. It’s a real car, a limited edition going on sale soon, and promises to be ‘perfect for adventurous people who also want to drive off the beaten path electrically.’
Looks cool, huh? The Q8 has never been the most arresting of SUV shapes, but as is so often the case with these off-road conversions there’s plenty a suspension lift, some chunky tyres and arch extensions can do for a bit of visual attitude. This edition Dakar is 31mm higher than a standard two-motor 55 quattro, the additional ground clearance making it better suited to loose surfaces. It means typical ground clearance of 206mm, which then gradually reduces in three stages at 53mph, 62mph and 75mph. Wading depth is 300mm, approach angle 20 degrees, departure 26 and a breakover of 19 degrees. Not going to give a Land Cruiser anything to worry about in the rough, sure, but then the edition Dakar is more about walking the walk rather than talking the talk. Serious off-roading isn’t for everyone…
The look is completed by General Grabber AT3 tyres and what look like smaller than standard wheels (though not properly serious beadlock rims). Audi says the knobbly rubber offers ‘excellent off-road resilience’. Interestingly (and again indicative of the not-so-hardcore vibe) the edition Dakar will be sold with eight wheels and tyres, the set seen here complemented by four 20-inchers with mud and snow tyres for year-round use. This Q8 e-tron isn’t quite all the gear and no idea, however. As long as you’re willing to pay. Audi offers four-zone air-con that comes with a second high-voltage heater to really ramp up the heating power, and there’s an extra heater for the battery itself that means the edition Dakar can take charge (and warm up) better in really cold conditions. Plus there’s a new super duper Bang & Olufsen available with 16 speakers and 705w to rave away the charge time.
This being an off-road special, there’s obviously a roof rack for the edition Dakar, which can take 40kg and - of course - looks really smart. The Q8 seen here is in Mythos Black, with Magnetic Grey and - surely the most appropriate paint - Siam Beige also available. This particular Dakar is notable for having the decals, too, of which there will be only 99 made; it’s a partial wrap with a serial number on the D-pillar, basically. You can probably go without.
All Q8 e-tron edition Dakars get puddle lights in the door projecting the name, a model-specific key, a standard S Line package and head-up display, plus some new displays for the MMI unique to this model. An optional Audi Sport package that introduces some red contrast is probably worth having.
The edition Dakar has been announced with a 120,000 euro start price in Germany, which is currently just under £104,000. A hefty premium given a standard S Line 55 is £84k, but then off-road really sells at the moment. Though ordering will open in Q1 for customers in the home market, a UK allocation hasn’t yet been confirmed. Here’s hoping though, because it does look fun - the perfect family car to go alongside a Huracan Sterrato, right?
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