SEA RANCH, Calif. – Take a deep breath. Thumb the digital shifter toggle into Park. Get cozy. Get pleasure from every little thing else concerning the 2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron apart from driving it.
The street forward could also be spectacular, nevertheless it’s additionally beneath development. Automated purple lights meter site visitors at varied one-way parts, which suggests you’re inevitably caught ready round for prolonged durations of time. And worse than that, as soon as underway, there’ll nonetheless be site visitors forward. Truly, “site visitors” is simply too variety. There might be a succession of leisurely shifting leisure automobiles, which in my case at varied factors was a Ram ProMaster RV by coachbuilder Entegra which may have topped 25 at one level, a 2003 Silverado HD with a bed-mounted camper towing an Airstream, and regardless of the hell this was.
Such a tempo is mainly what you’ll be able to anticipate your driving expertise to ivolve whereas traversing the California 1 north of San Francisco. Its spectacular surroundings rightfully attracts a crowd, which suggests you’re caught in that crowd. Study to simply accept that, and also you’ll have a a lot better time. Be behind the wheel of the Q8 E-Tron and also you simply may need the makings of one of the crucial pleasurable and memorable drives in current reminiscence – I do know I did.
Q8 E-Tron can be the brand new identify for the electrical SUV previously generally known as simply E-Tron (you’ll be able to dive deeper into the adjustments in our Q8 E-Tron and SQ8 E-Tron First Drive Evaluate). Audi says this was to emphasise this specific car’s standing as a range-topping blah blah blah, however come on, it’s to make it lots simpler to distinguish it with the E-Tron GT, This fall E-Tron and no matter different E-Trons are coming down the pipe in Audi’s electrified future. That mentioned, it’s, actually, a mid-cycle refresh of the earlier E-Tron, and never a brand new electrical model of the Audi Q8. The 2 Q8s are totally different automobiles, albeit with related footprints and have content material.
For the needs of a street journey like this one up the coast and again from Healdsburg in Sonoma wine nation, the Q8 E-Tron is now good for 285 miles with its SUV physique model, and 296 for its “Coupe” physique model that up to now has represented solely about 10-15% of gross sales. That’s a considerable enchancment over the outgoing SUV’s 226 miles because of a brand new, extra effectively designed battery pack good for 114 kilowatt-hours versus 95 kWh. It additionally costs faster: a nonetheless so-so 170-kW max versus 150 at public quick chargers. AC dwelling charging is both an equally so-so 9.6 kW or, with the non-obligatory second charger, a nutty 19.2 kW that ought to futureproof your automotive for no matter superior dwelling chargers are launched (my state-of-the-art Wallbox Pulsar tops out on the identical 11.5 kW as lots of in the present day’s different EVs). All informed, I might return after a day of driving – principally leisurely, however some bits extra vigorous – with 61 miles left. Good factor it received these 59 further miles, eh?
Apart from the upgraded battery, these further miles additionally consequence from the redesigned exterior’s aerodynamic enhancements that cut back drag by 6%. In addition they enhance cabin noise, which Audi says is as quiet or quieter than the A8. Or, in case you choose, my iPhone’s decibel meter app registered a median of 44 dB throughout a two-minute regular cruise at 60 mph. That’s mainly the identical quantity as an RS Q8 … parked.
With that in thoughts and the Bundeswehr troop transport nonetheless ready for the sunshine to show inexperienced, it was time to make pattern of the Q8 E-Tron’s Bang & Olufsen sound system. As a result of, wow, is it ever good. The mix of silent automotive, soft-touch inside surfaces and no matter speaker magic B&O cooked up leads to the closest factor you will get to a rolling recording studio. I heard issues for the primary time in tracks I’ve listened to numerous instances: birds chirping in Daisy the Nice’s “File Participant” and water babbling on the finish of Lord Huron’s “The Night time We Met.” I might hear particular person Dua Lipa’s singing with Elton John on their quasi-duet of “Chilly Coronary heart,’ and much more of Alanis singing backup for Dave Matthews on “Spoon.” I might swear the tambourine within the Beatles’ “Day within the Life” was actually within the automotive banging away towards the lifeless pedal.
As Bang and his buddy Olufsen supplied the soundtrack, California supplied the visuals as I mercifully managed to shake RVs occasionally in favor of a minivan or Tahoe. Up right here, California 1 hugs the coast atop gently rolling headlands nonetheless amply inexperienced after the winter’s many atmospheric rivers. Glimpses of sandy white cliffs and the seashores beneath seem at factors because the coast turns, whereas the ocean beneath has a surprisingly nearly Caribbean-like turquoise hue (sure, we drove the white Q8 beneath however the images have been taken of a blue one). Although the tempo stays leisurely, the fixed corners present simply sufficient driver involvement as I glide the graceful, persistently weighted steering backwards and forwards. All informed, it actually was a joyful morning of driving and a feast for the senses: sound, sight and really feel. And certain, the Q8 E-Tron smells fairly good, too.
The lunch cease is The Sea Ranch Lodge, or relatively the ocean-view restaurant adjoining to the soon-to-be-reopened resort nestled on the headlands overlooking the Pacific. Each inside inch of its Nineteen Seventies fashionable structure is lined in wooden – if it wasn’t for the California coast out the home windows, I’d swear I used to be in Sweden.
Delicious grilled cheese consumed, I climb again into the Q8 E-Tron and begin working via the Apple CarPlay music app for my subsequent choice when it instantly dawns on me that no automobiles have handed by the driveway in fairly a while. There should be a hold-up. CarPlay deserted, I faucet the shifter-toggle thingy into Drive and pull as much as the driveway to see a phalanx of three extra campers main a downtrodden regiment of automobiles uphill: a elaborate off-roading Sprinter, a Tundra with a canoe on the roof towing a 15-foot camper and, within the lead, that rattling Entegra once more. They actually ought to’ve purchased the Sort S.
This was my probability. Certain, an electrical bicycle might outrun this parade, however I gun it. Foot to ground, the Q8 E-Tron doesn’t possess that snap we’ve come to anticipate from high-powered EVs. Sure, it has 408 horsepower and 490 pound-feet of torque, nevertheless it’s additionally anticipated to launch about 6,000 kilos of rolling recording studio, I imply, Audi midsize SUV. Curiously, energy really appears to progressively construct as, nicely, not as revs rise however that’s type of what it appears like. The sooner you’re going, the faster the E-Tron is to pile on much more velocity. It’s all accompanied with an digital whine, which will get a bit rumblier in Dynamic mode, that sounds acceptable for the automotive and doesn’t draw an excessive amount of consideration to itself.
Although the street forward is now clear, I preserve a subdued tempo till the route veers inland and the street will get even twistier. Time to see how Audi’s engineers managed to handle the outgoing non-Q8 E-Tron’s greatest shortcoming: it was a flabby, bounding mess that made you conscious of each one of many these 6,000-ish kilos. The steering is faster, and 50% stiffer entrance management arm bushings have been added for higher response, particularly on-center. It’s nonetheless a bit too loosey-goosey on heart in Auto or Consolation mode, however in Dynamic, its added on-center heft is extra confidence-inspiring. The additional weighting upon turn-in is much less appreciated, although, because it numbs a few of the response and feels a tad unnatural.
The suspension retains air springs at every nook, however they, together with the steadiness management system have been re-tuned to enhance physique composure whereas dealing with, and it completely succeeded. You continue to really feel its heft, however there’s a poise and athleticism right here that was lacking earlier than. The Q8 E-Tron glided via a prolonged collection of tighter corners alongside a winding river woodland, backwards and forwards, up and down, easily sustaining tempo and composure regardless of speeds of 60 to 65 mph. No tire squeal, no anxious stability management interactions and undoubtedly no bounding about. Seems the Q8 E-Tron now has some GT chops.
Reaching the 101 South, I cost the Q8 E-Tron onto the two-lane divided freeway solely to find in the suitable lane an Infiniti G37 trope: slammed, carbon-look hood, fart can exhaust, home windows down, face in telephone. The vape should’ve been out of batteries. I attempt to hold again, however he too slows down, subliminal tractor beam engaged. Nice. I can both have my serene rolling recording studio sullied by the fart can for 40 minutes, or I can … Yeah, buh-bye. Q8 E-Tron autobahn credentials thereby confirmed.
With its larger vary and improved driving manners, the Q8 E-Tron is sort of merely an outstanding day tripper. If I used to be occurring a lengthier journey up the coast to Fort Bragg or Redwood Nationwide Park, I’d undoubtedly run into charging points, however these varieties of journeys are the exception, not the rule. Apart from, it’s a protected wager that anybody who can afford this $92,390 Q8 E-Tron additionally has room within the finances and storage for a non-EV. Or simply fly. Both approach, there’s an excellent probability the journey gained’t be as pleasurable – even when sitting nonetheless.
