Performance at its best : All-new Audi Q8

Last Sunday,  Audi Philippines and the Manila Polo Club hosted the much-anticipated 16th Enrique Zobel Memorial Polo Cup. This action-packed annual polo match is held in honor of the late Enrique Zobel, an avid polo player and former president of the Manila Polo Club from 1963 to 1964.  Zobel was a prominent businessman and during World War II, the young 14-year old Enrique used his father’s polo ponies to offer “kalesa” (horse drawn) rides to generate income for their family’s needs. 

His love and passion for polo never waned and the tradition is now being continued by his son, Iñigo Zobel, considered one of the finest polo players in the Philippines and is the Chairman of the E. Zobel Inc.

The 16th Enrique Zobel Memorial Cup started off in the early afternoon and was kicked off with the traditional parade of horses and the ceremonial throw-in by Dee Zobel, the wife of Enrique Zobel and chairwoman of E. Zobel Foundation, joined by Audi Philippines Head Benedicto Coyiuto and Manila Polo Club General Manager August Samala.

On this occasion, Audi Philippines also held the Philippine debut of the all-new Audi Q8, the official trophy car of this year’s Polo games.

“We are very proud to launch the bold, new face of the Audi SUV family – the all-new Audi Q8. It is the most advanced SUV from Audi, bringing together the characteristic design of a coupe and the comfort and safety of a large SUV. The Audi Q8 is also equipped with mild hybrid technology, resulting to a higher level of efficiency and excellent engine performance,” said Audi Philippines Head Benedicto Coyiuto during the reveal of the all-new Audi Q8.

The polo games started with four-chukker low goal match where the Audi Reds went against the Audi Grays with the Audi Reds winning the match with a score of 8-3. For the four-chukker high goal game, the Audi Whites triumphantly emerged as victors in an intense bout against the Audi Blacks, ending the afternoon’s game with the final score of 8-7.

Guests were also invited to join the traditional champagne toast during the half-time period of the high goal match. The afternoon’s festivities drew to a close with the awarding of trophies to the winning teams and the parade of the all-new Audi Q8, the top model from Audi.

This writer had a chance to view the Audi Q8 when it debuted at the Audi Brand Experience last October in Singapore. Richly equipped but tough enough for some serious off-road duty, the all-new Audi Q8 is a confident mix of business and leisure.  Its new mild hybrid technology (MHEV) incorporated in the all-new Audi Q8 enables this full sized SUV to achieve fuel efficiency without necessarily compromising in performance.

Audi’s exciting new Q8 is poised to appeal to buyers who want the sporty dynamics of a high performance SUV and enjoy the amenities of a luxury vehicle with all the features and connectivity of a true modern vehicle. 

Famed for its Quattro technology, Audi was the pioneer in using 4-wheel drive systems in rally races and since then, it has been making racing history. The name Quattro which is the Italian word for “four” has long since been associated with a racing pedigree with Audi.  The top-of-line Q8 SUV uses a purely mechanical center differential that transfers the forces to the front axle and rear axle at a ratio of 40:60 in standard settings. It comes with adaptive air suspension with controlled damping as a standard, with either comfort or sport setup. It adjusts the ride height depending on the driving situation and the driver’s preference by as much as 90 millimeters.

Powering the all-new Audi Q8 is highly efficient 3.0 TFSI engine that produces 335 hp. All Audi drive systems are particularly efficient thanks to the new mild hybrid technology (MHEV). Its 48-volt primary electrical system incorporates two important technology modules: a lithium-ion battery and a belt alternator starter. During braking, it can recover up to 12 kW of power and feed it back into the battery. The MHEV technology enables long coasting phases with the engine deactivated and a start-stop range that begins at 22 km/h.

The Audi Q8 is the new face of the SUV family, with an imposing singleframe in octagonal design, the brawny radiator grille stands upright and, together with the spoiler that has been drawn toward the front and the large, highly contoured air inlets, emphasizes the self-confident look. The strong contours and athletically tight surfaces convey a feeling of power, sophistication and the special dynamics of the permanent all-wheel drive. The spoiler, wheel arch trims, door trim strips and diffuser are in a contrasting color, to further emphasize the off-road look. Standard LED headlights illuminate the road, with HD Matrix LED technology.

A fully digital Audi virtual cockpit greets the driver and front passenger. Its high-resolution 12.3-inch display can be switched between two views via the multifunction steering wheel. A central element of its interior is the top MMI touch response display, using easy-to-understand symbols, the MMI touch response operating concept allows nearly every function can be accessed via two large displays. In addition to all this, the natural language voice control turns the Audi Q8 into an intelligent dialog partner.

The Audi Q8 is top-notch with respect to sound with the Bang & Olufsen Advanced Sound System. It delivers audiophile quality 3D sound with height information to all five seats. The onboard music replicates how it was recorded in the concert hall.

For more information, contact Audi Philippines at 7270381 to 85 or visit an Audi showroom in Greenhills, Global City, and Alabang, and SM Seaside City Cebu.