RANGE ROVER SPORT

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Audi Q8

Boxy style Range Rover Sport

The Range Rover Sport is a luxury SUV that followed the Range Rover, with the first model debuting in 2005. The Range Rover Sport S, the entry-level model in the series, is equipped with a 3.0-liter inline-six diesel turbo, and we will compare it with Audi’s top-of-the-line crossover, the Q8. Of these, we chose the Q8 50 TDI quattro, which is equipped with a 3.0-liter V6 diesel turbo.

The Q8, which debuted in 2018, will undergo its first major facelift in its model life in 2024. The exterior has been updated to the latest Audi design, including the introduction of “Digital Daytime Running Lights” with a choice of four light signatures.

Both models have a wheelbase of 2995 mm, but the Audi Q8 is 35 mm longer than the Range Rover Sport. With a sloping hatch gate, the Audi Q8 has a relaxed coupe-SUV style, while the Range Rover Sport is 115 mm taller and has a boxy form typical of a cross-country model.

Range Rover Sport S

Body size = Length 4960mm x Width 2005mm x Height 1820mm

Wheelbase = 2995mm

Vehicle weight = 2490kg

Tire size = 255/60R20

Audi Q8 50 TDI quattro

Body size = Length 4995mm x Width 1995mm x Height 1705mm

Wheelbase = 2995mm

Vehicle weight = 2190kg

Tire size = 275/50R20

Q8’s driving performance takes advantage of its light weight

The Range Rover Sport S combines a 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder “INGENIUM” turbo diesel engine that produces a maximum output of 300 PS and a maximum torque of 650 Nm with a 48V mild hybrid system.

The Q8 50 TDI quattro, on the other hand, is also a 3.0-liter six-cylinder turbo diesel, but its engine specs are inferior, with a maximum output of 272 PS and a maximum torque of 600 Nm. However, thanks to its 300 kg lighter weight, it outperforms the Range Rover Sport S with a top speed of 241 km/h and a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 6.1 seconds.

Range Rover Sport S

Engine type = Inline 6-cylinder diesel turbo + mild hybrid

Displacement = 2993cc

Maximum output = 300PS / 4000rpm

Maximum torque = 650Nm / 1500-2500rpm

Transmission = 8-speed AT

Drive system = AWD

Top speed = 218km/h

Acceleration from 0 to 100km/h = 6.4 seconds

Audi Q8 50 TDI quattro

Engine type = V6 diesel turbo

Displacement = 2967cc

Maximum output = 272PS / 3500-4000rpm

Maximum torque = 600Nm / 1750-3000rpm

Transmission = 8-speed Tiptronic (AT)

Drive system = AWD

Top speed = 241km/h

0-100km/h acceleration = 6.1 seconds

Two chic cars with contrasting atmospheres

The interior of the Range Rover Sport, which is centered around a 13.1-inch curved touchscreen and is devoid of flashy trim, has the feel of a simple, well-tailored British suit. In contrast, the Q8 boldly places metal parts and has two screens on the instrument panel: a 10.1-inch upper screen for the infotainment and an 8.6-inch lower screen for the climate control.

Both of the cars featured here are equipped with a torquey and economical diesel turbo, but the Range Rover Sport S, which is equipped with a 48V mild hybrid system, has a price tag that is 1.53 million yen higher. On the other hand, the Q8 also has a lineup of the “Q8 55 TFSI quattro S line” with a 3.0-liter V6 gasoline turbo + mild hybrid system (12.48 million yen).

Both cars have a luxurious, urban exterior, but they have completely different atmospheres, as if embodying their British and German origins. If you plan to use them mainly on paved roads such as in urban areas and on highways, the long-wheelbase Q8 is the way to go. If you want to drive on rough roads such as snowy roads, the Range Rover Sport, which has the off-road capabilities inherited from the Range Rover, is the way to go.