2025 Audi RSQ8 Performance: Nürburgring record holder priced for Australia

Audi’s most powerful combustion car ever, and lap-time record holder for SUVs at the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife, will be priced from $255,800 plus on-road costs when it arrives in Australia.

Due in local showrooms in the coming months, the 2025 Audi RSQ8 Performance represents a $27,000 price rise over the ‘standard’ RSQ8 it replaces, though it comes loaded in one highly specified variant.

At the heart of the RSQ8 Performance is its beefed-up powertrain, with the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 with 48V mild-hybrid assistance massaged to deliver 471kW (+30kW) and 850Nm, good for a 0-100km/h claim of 3.6 seconds (-0.2s).

Those figures make the flagship performance SUV Audi’s most powerful combustion-powered production vehicle ever – with more grunt than even the Lamborghini-powered R8 supercar.

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RSQ8 Performance equipment highlights:

• 23-inch alloy wheels – 5-Y-spoke design
• Ceramic front brakes incl. red calipers
• HD Matrix LED headlights
• OLED tail lights
• Dynamic all-wheel steering
• RS adaptive air suspension sport
• Electromechanical active roll stabilisation
• Quattro sport differential
• RS sports exhaust system
• RS sport front seats
  • incl. heating, ventilation
• Fine Nappa leather upholstery incl. honeycomb stitching
• Inlays in aluminium brushed diagonal black
• 4-zone climate control
• Panoramic sunroof
• Power-assisted doors
• Power tailgate
• Air quality package incl. ioniser
• 12.3-inch ‘Audi virtual cockpit plus’ digital instrument cluster
• Bang & Olufsen 3D premium sound system
• 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Audi connect plus navigation, infotainment
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Wireless phone charger
• 4 x USB ports – 2 x front, 2 x rear
• Adaptive cruise control
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Lane-keep assist
• Rear cross-traffic assist
• Surround-view cameras
• Hill descent control
• Emergency assist
• Tyre pressure monitoring

While the base asking price has risen substantially, a number of equipment items included with the new RSQ8 Performance were previously options on the pre-facelift RSQ8 – namely the carbon-ceramic brakes, which previously formed part of the optional $19,500 RS dynamic package plus.

There’s also the boosted powertrain with improved performance, and Audi Australia has additionally confirmed there’s “reduced sound damping material” to allow more of the RS sport exhaust’s V8 soundtrack to permeate the cabin.

Buyers of the Audi RSQ8 Performance will also be able to boast that they have the fastest SUV around the Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit, stealing back the title from the related Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT with a 7 minute 36.698 second lap time late last year – bettering the Porsche’s 7 minute 38.925 second time by more than 2.0 seconds!

The new RSQ8 Performance is one of a slew of new or updated models coming to Australia this year from the Audi brand, completing the facelifted Q8 family which launched just a couple of months ago.

Pricing

MORE: Everything Audi RSQ8