Audi continues to add to its ever-expanding lineup today, with the announcement of the all-new 2019 Q8 SUV. And just like the rest of the big SUVs under the Volkswagen umbrella, the Audi is based on the same platform as the Bentley Bentayga, Lamborghini Urus and Porsche Cayenne. The Q8’s official release date will be closer to the end of this year with a price tag of roughly $86,000 — around $30,000 more than the highest trim-level Q7.

Audi is justifying that massive price gap by saying, while the outside is on the edgier, sporty side, the interior takes inspiration from the same experience you get from the A8 luxury sedan. The A8’s influence manifests in the driver Audi Virtual Cockpit interface, the dash design, interior finish and double-touch screen center console. Power will come from either a 3.0-liter TFSI V6 good for 335 horsepower and a diesel V6 pumping out 282 horsepower and 442 lb-ft.

The confusing part is even though you might expect the Q8 to have a third row, it doesn’t. In fact, at just over 16 ft-long, it’s the same length as the Q7 but has a lower roofline and nearly identical interior space. So what will you get for the extra $30,000 over a Q7? Audi seems to be marketing the Q8 as a sporty SUV with all the electronic driver assists, aides and luxury as the A8 sedan. You can argue that the Q8 is all style, but with the $86,000-plus price tag, aggressive (at the very last, polarizing) design and upgraded interior, Audi isn’t being subtle about going after other SUVs like the Range Rover Sport. We can safely assume the Q8 will have the handling chops, so the interior experience is going to have to be something special to step in the ring with the Range Rover.

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