Commemorating Audi’s participation in the annual Dakar Rally is the special edition Q8 e-tron that looks like a Ford Raptor mixed with a soccer mom SUV
In another rendition of cars we wish we got in the US, the Audi Q8 e-tron has been revealed with a special Dakar Edition. The revamped and beefed up SUV has been created in order to commemorate Audi’s presence in the annual Dakar Rally, a competition in which the company has participated in since 2022 with the RS Q e-tron Hybrid. Now, they attempted to bring some of that same technology to the streets with the Q8 e-tron which takes an unseeming mom car and turns it into a gnarly offroader meant for only the most rugged conditions. The only issue? It’s not available in the United States.
The new e-tron is a fully electric version of the Q8 e-tron which the company already sells in the United States and is one of Audi’s best-sellers in the EV market stateside. However, the Dakar Edition won’t be. Baffling, sure. But that can’t stop us from appreciating what the four-rings has come up with this time around. Based off the regular 404 horsepower electric drivetrain, Audi decided not to tinker with the motors at all, instead opting to focus in on exterior modifications.
The new changes in order to turn the Q8 e-tron into a off-road monster consist of new General Grabber AT3 A/T tires that add about 1.2 inches of extra ground clearance, a revamped suspension system– featuring all-new technology that allows them to maintain a much more sturdy and buff structural integrity, and a host of visual changes that clearly distinguish the Dakar Edition from the pedestrian variant. Audi claims that with these upgrades, the new Q8 is meant for going off the beaten path, with media images featuring scenes of the vehicle everywhere but the city– looking more like a Land Cruiser than your usual Beverly Hills cruiser.
Audi’s numbers for the new e-tron include an approach angle of 20 degrees and a departure angle of 26. The company also mentions that the wading depth is 11.8 inches– what seems to be a hefty upgrade over the normal variant. The beefed up tires add a tenth of a second from the regular e-tron’s 5.8 second 0-60 while also decreasing the range to 303 miles using European metrics.
Visual cues include the color options ranging from Siam Beige, Mythos Black, or just gray. A roof rack sits on top of the car while the grille gets painted the same color as the body. The wheel arches and lower body trim are doused in black, aiming for a more noir aesthetic. A visual wrap package is also optional, spelling out “Dakar” in various places– however this option will only be available to vehicles with the Mythos Black paint scheme and be limited to 99 Q8s.
More High Horsepower Audis
The entire vehicle is supposed to celebrate a small portion of Audi’s motorsport history, memorializing the brand’s participation in one of the most intensive competitions in the racing community. Starting in the Saudi Arabian desert, racers will attempt to make the trek all the way to Dakar, Senegal– a near 9,300 mile journey.
While the e-tron won’t be sold in the United States– surprisingly– prices will start at around $131,000 according to Car and Driver.
