The fastest Audi Q8 you can buy is now a V6 petrol

The fastest Audi Q8 you can now buy is something called the Audi Q8 55 TFSI, the latter part of which probably makes no sense. What will make sense is that it is a 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine with 336bhp.

There, better. This new Q8 also gets 368lb ft of torque, allied to four-wheel drive and a 48V hybrid electric system to enable a 0-62mph time of 5.9secs, and a (limited) top speed of 155mph. Not too shabby in something weighing over two tonnes.

It’s four tenths quicker than the current ’50 TDI’ which uses a 3.0-litre V6 diesel with 286bhp. Though there’s now a lesser-powered variant of that same engine available, producing 231bhp and 368lb ft of torque, for a 0-62mph time of 7.1secs, and top speed of 145mph.

All powertrains get four-wheel drive, in fact, plus an eight-speed automatic gearbox. Also 19in wheels, adaptive dampers, and Audi’s peerless virtual cockpit, all wrapped inside the vast bulk of an SUV that’s nearly 5m long.

Is the fast petrol Q8 with 336bhp enough to sate your, um, fast petrol Q8 needs, or are you still holding out for that mad RS Q8 that’ll steamroller into your attention span (and rear-view mirror) in the near future?

Have a read of TG’s Q8 review to help the decision…