Audi CEO Gernot Döllner has confirmed that a second-generation Q8 is planned, ending uncertainty over whether the crossover coupe would continue. The model had not been approved until relatively recently, and Audi has not yet shown prototypes or disclosed a launch schedule. Döllner said the successor is coming in the “nearer future,” although the source indicates it could still be a few years away.
The future of the Q8 had appeared uncertain after Audi introduced a redesigned Q7 and the all-new Q9 without providing any update on its sportier flagship crossover. That silence drew more attention as reports suggested Audi and Porsche were considering cutting loveral coupe-style crossovers as part of broader cost reductions.
Those reports named the Audi Q5 Sportback, Q6 e-tron Sportback and the gasoline-powered Porsche Cayenne Coupe as possible casualties. The Q8 was not specifically included, but the wider discussion around crossover coupes raised questions about whether Audi would commission a direct successor.
Döllner told Edmunds that no decision on a replacement had been made when he became Audi’s chief executive in 2023. “To my surprise, there was no decision for a successor, but we changed that,” he said. His comments confirm that Audi has since approved another generation, even though the company has not released timing, design or technical details.
According to Döllner, the next Q8 will follow the approach of the current model and remain connected to the Q7. That points to another vehicle based on the Q7 but with a sportier body shape. The source expects the redesigned Q8 to echo the new Q7, although Audi has not formally confirmed the production model’s specifications.
The article suggests a twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 could be part of the lineup because the larger three-row Q7 uses an engine producing 429 hp, 442 lb-ft of torque and a 0-60 mph time of 4.8 seconds. Those figures describe the Q7 and should not be treated as confirmed specifications for the future Q8.
A new SQ8 is also presented as a likely possibility. The source points to the SQ7’s twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8, rated at 591 hp and 590 lb-ft, as a potential indicator of what Audi could offer. The SQ7 reaches 60 mph in 3.7 seconds and has a top speed of 155 mph, but Audi has not confirmed that the next SQ8 will use the same output or performance figures.
Another RS Q8 is possible, but no firm information has been disclosed. For context, the current model produces 631 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque and can reach 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. The confirmation from Audi’s CEO settles the Q8’s broader future, while the launch date, full range and final engineering details remain the next major unanswered questions.
