Audi Lets Go. . .With a V8

Even though Audi promoted its Green Cred with its Maisie Williams 2020 Super Bowl ad showing her singing “Let It Go” while being surrounded by vehicles the exhaust from which was visibly noxious, and even though the Audi e-tron Sportback she’s driving is an exceedingly nice vehicle that doesn’t have a tailpipe because it is an electric vehicle, something gives us pause about Audi’s approach to the market.

It announced that it is offering the SQ7 SUV in the U.S. for the first time.

You’ll let it go when you get on the accelerator: Audi SQ7 (Euro model shown) Image: Audi

And why this is striking: it has a 4.0-liter V8 that produces 500 hp and 568 lb-ft of torque.

This is not the thing you’re going to take a leisurely drive to the soccer pitch in (it seats seven). It is the kind of thing you’re going to shred some pavement with.

It—and realize this is a BIG vehicle—can go from 0 to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds.

The twin-turbocharged V8 is mated to an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic. The SQ7 has electronically controlled adaptive air suspension, quattro all-wheel drive and all-wheel steering.

Base MSRP: $84,800.

Seems like Audi believes that not everyone is necessarily interested in things that don’t have a throaty growl, just a relaxing hum.