The Audi RS Q8 Performance already occupies the slightly absurd end of the performance SUV spectrum, combining a twin-turbo V8 with the pace to embarrass plenty of sports cars. Apparently, its 631 horsepower wasn’t nearly enough for ABT Sportsline.
The German tuner has unveiled the RSQ8-LE 1000, a limited-production interpretation of Audi’s flagship SUV with 1,000 metric horsepower. That translates to approximately 987 imperial horses, putting it comfortably beyond even the latest Lamborghini Urus despite the two SUVs sharing some underlying DNA.
ABT hasn’t simply turned up the boost and called it finished, either. The RSQ8-LE 1000 receives extensive carbon-fiber bodywork, suspension changes, a new exhaust, enormous 23-inch wheels, and a heavily reworked interior intended to make it feel suitably special.
Only 30 examples are planned, and ABT has yet to reveal pricing. Considering a standard 2027 RS Q8 Performance starts at $139,700 in the U.S. before options and fees, exclusivity at this level is unlikely to come cheaply.
ABT Turns The RS Q8 Up To 1,000 PS
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Under the hood remains Audi’s 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8, although ABT has extracted 1,000 PS, equivalent to roughly 987 hp or 736 kW. That’s an increase of approximately 356 hp over the standard RS Q8 Performance.
ABT hasn’t published a 0-60 mph time, so claims that it will run close to three seconds remain speculation for now. What it has confirmed is a 199 mph top speed, up from the 190 mph available from a factory RS Q8 Performance when equipped for its highest maximum speed.
Those numbers put the Audi into interesting territory against the Lamborghini Urus. The latest Urus SE Performante combines a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 with an electric motor for a total of 801 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque, with Lamborghini claiming 0-62 mph in 3.3 seconds and a 194-mph maximum speed.
On paper, then, the ABT has nearly 190 additional horsepower and a slightly higher top speed. Straight-line acceleration is harder to call without independently tested figures for the Audi, particularly given the Lamborghini’s electrified drivetrain and traction advantage.
Carbon Fiber Everywhere You Look
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ABT has made sure nobody mistakes its creation for a standard RS Q8. The package includes a new front spoiler, hood vents, mirror caps, side skirts, fender vents, a prominent rear wing, and a redesigned diffuser, with carbon fiber featuring extensively throughout.
A stainless-steel exhaust system terminates in huge 105-mm carbon-trimmed outlets at the rear. The example shown by ABT combines green paint with matte carbon components, resulting in something considerably less restrained than Audi’s already aggressive factory design.
Revised suspension also drops the SUV closer to the pavement. Filling the arches are ABT’s 23-inch IR23 Flow Forming wheels finished in satin gold and wrapped in substantial 295/35 tires.
The combination isn’t subtle, although subtlety clearly wasn’t on the brief. An almost 1,000-hp RS Q8 wearing a giant carbon rear wing was never going to disappear quietly into the school pickup line.
The Interior Gets The Full ABT Treatment
The modifications continue once the doors open. ABT fits dedicated RSQ8-LE 1000 sill plates and marks the center console with a numbered “1 of 30” engraving emphasizing the SUV’s limited production run.
Carbon-fiber paddle shifters, dashboard trim, seat-frame covers, and a shift-knob cover join an Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel. ABT also adds illuminated entrance elements, unique seat logos, special floor and cargo mats, and several smaller trim changes.
It’s an extensive makeover, although the fundamental architecture remains recognizably RS Q8. That may actually be part of the appeal for buyers who want hypercar levels of horsepower without sacrificing the practicality and familiar cabin of Audi’s large performance SUV.
Thirty Buyers Get Audi’s Wildest RS Q8
ABT hasn’t announced what the RSQ8-LE 1000 costs or how many of the 30 planned examples remain available. Buyers interested in securing one will need to contact the tuner directly for availability and pricing.
The regular RS Q8 Performance is already an extraordinarily quick SUV, so nearly another 360 horsepower borders on gratuitous. That’s also precisely why something like the RSQ8-LE 1000 exists: when the factory version is no longer outrageous enough, ABT is apparently happy to keep turning the dial.