What's the difference?
Things that have had a name change AFTER they’ve become famous…
Okay… there’s Kanye West’s switch to Ye, Twitter’s rebranding to X and now this – the Audi Q8 e-tron.
As the brand’s first production EV, it used to be known simply as Audi e-tron. But that was confusing, because – Porsche Taycan-based GT and RS sports sedans aside – every electrified vehicle that the company has made before and since wears e-tron as a suffix.
Beyond new badging, the Q8 e-tron also brings a facelift and improvements underneath, to better challenge the BMW iX, Jaguar I-Pace and Mercedes EQC and EQE large electric SUVs, among others.
How does the Ingolstadt EV fare? Let’s find out.
The Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT needs a better name. This is the king of Cayennes and quite possibly the ruler of all super SUVs.
Well, the Cayenne Turbo GT is the fastest SUV around the Nurburgring Nordschleife. Not just that, it has such colossal power and torque it'll be side-by-side with a Porsche 911 GT3 RS in a sprint from 0-100km/h. No, a better name for this SUV would be the Cayenne GT3.
Which is perfect for me because I'm at the point in my life where although I love full-on and noisy cars I also have a full-on and noisy family.
We lived with the Cayenne Turbo GT for a week to find out if this super SUV was also a super family car - from practicality to safety.
We're also a family with ridiculously high expectations of luxury SUVs having lived with and tested each of the Cayenne Turbo GT's rivals - from the Lamborghini Urus and Bentley Bentayga to the Aston Martin DBX and Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio.
The Audi Q8 e-tron ushers in welcome improvements to an already likeable and capable large luxury SUV.
But it is also feeling dated compared to newer and fresher rivals like the BMW iX, isn’t as good to drive as the best, offers disappointing range for the size of the new battery, and prices are creeping up for what is essentially a half-decade-old EV.
The name change isn’t enough. What the Q8 e-tron really needs is a massive leap in its Vorsprung durch Technik in a rapidly evolving electrified landscape.
Very good… but far from great.
Of all the super SUVs I've piloted, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT is the best all-rounder in terms of performance, comfort, cabin technology and style.
As a family car it's roomy, practical and easy to use and drive daily.
As a performance car the Turbo GT is stupidly quick, with the agility of a sports car. Sure, a 911 would leave it behind on a twisty race track, but this SUV is close to having that sportscar experience and keeping your family, as well.