Plagiarism! The Audi Q8 E-Tron Edition Dakar imitates Porsche

We felt a bit silly as we sat in traffic on the A2 in a Porsche 911 Dakar, complete with roof rack, sand shovel and jerry cans. That’s why we probably won’t be ordering an Audi Q8 E-Tron Edition Dakar any time soon.

SUVs may seem adventurous, but in most cases they are not. Nine times out of ten, they get irrevocably stuck on the first sandy ledge when the owners dare to leave the asphalt.

Audi Q8 E-Tron Edition Dakar

You might have a better chance of getting ahead with the Audi Q8 E-Tron Edition Dakar because it certainly looks fierce. It’s inspired by – you guessed it – the Dakar Rally, says Audi.

Range of 487 kilometers

The model is based on the Q8 E-Tron 55 Quattro, with a 106 kWh battery, an output of 408 hp and 664 Nm of torque. On normal tires it goes to 100 km/h in 5.8 seconds.

Due to the all-terrain tires, the Dakar is a little less fast, but with a time of 5.9 seconds you are still just ahead at the traffic lights. The Dakar’s range is 487 kilometers.

Two sets of tires

Compared to the regular Q8 E-Tron, the model’s chassis is 3.1 centimeters higher. At a speed of over 85 km/h, the car lowers by a maximum of 1.7 centimeters.

The Dakar – with standard wheel arch extensions and air suspension – comes with two sets of tires. In addition to the off-road tires that the car in the photos is wearing, there are also regular summer tires.

Edition 99 pieces

The Q8 E-Tron Edition Dakar will be built in a limited edition of just 99 examples and costs more than 120,000 euros in Germany. There is not much choice in terms of color: beige, gray and black.

Dakar sticker set

The Dakar in the latter color can be decorated with a sticker set that is somewhat reminiscent of that of the RS Q E-Tron, with which Audi is taking part in the Dakar Rally.

Better air resistance?

Unintentionally funny: In its press release, Audi talks about the optional left and right camera mirrors, which are intended to improve the E-Tron’s air resistance. But if it’s that important, the manufacturer shouldn’t have put a roof rack with a spare tire on it.