
The Dakar Rally is underway in Saudi Arabia and a handful of very skilful lunatics are busy piloting heavily modified cars, motorcycles, quad bikes and trucks flat out across some of the world's most treacherous terrain.
Audi is taking part with its innovative RS Q e-tron this year - a specially developed electric racer that pairs an electric drivetrain with an energy converter to increase range.
Unfortunately, you can’t buy it, but for €120,000/£105,000/$130,000/AUS$196,000, Audi will sell you one of its limited run Q8 e-tron edition Dakar models instead.
It is heavily 'inspired' by the infamous desert race and as a result, features an increased ground clearance (now up to 206mm), massive General Grabber AT3 all-terrain tyres (Audi gives customers eight, in case of punctures) and wider wheel arches for a more aggressive stance.
The German marque has also seen fit to add a roof rack, which can handle loads of up to 40kg, which should be enough for a spare wheel or two, while a bespoke weatherproof bag has been created to store excess kit up top. There’s even a special boot liner, so sandy equipment doesn’t mess up your storage space.
Customers can select Siam Beige metallic, Mythos Black metallic or Magnetic Grey colour schemes, while an optional decal package offers an extra nod to the RS Q model running the race.
Inside, there are plenty of elements that remind owners and occupants exactly where the budget has been blown, including sports seats, stainless steel pedals, brushed aluminium trim inlays and a head-up display that projects driver information onto the windshield.
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
Open the doors outside your Bedouin tent at night, and you’ll be greeted with the words "edition Dakar" beamed onto the sand. It works equally as well when you are parked up outside the 24/7 Tesco.
Alas, there has been no massive changes to performance - it's exactly what you get from the standard Q8 55 e-tron model. That means a 106.0-kWh battery supplying power to dual motors, which in turn drive all four wheels.
Expect just over 400bhp and a chunky 664 Nm, which is enough to dispatch of the 0-62mph sprint in a respectable 5.8 seconds. Electric range is pegged at 302-miles, although the inhospitable nature of Saudi Arabia's Empty Quarter will likely eat into that.
Leon has been writing about automotive and consumer tech for longer than he cares to divulge. When he’s not testing the latest fitness wearable and action camera, he’s out in a shed fawning over his motorcycles or trying not to kill himself on a mountain bike/surfboard/other extreme thing. He's also a man who knows his tools, and he's provided much of T3's drills coverage over the years, all without injuring himself.
-
The ultimate luxury Casio G-Shock now comes with a stunning blue dial
Think a G-Shock can't be luxurious? Think again!
By Sam Cross Published
-
Nothing Phone (3a) specs leak just made things a bit more confusing
Camera details for a Pro model leak, but Nothing itself chimes in with something else
By Britta O'Boyle Published
-
Forget Tesla, this is the most powerful EV I’ve tried by miles
The BMW Vision Driving experience shows just how powerful EVs of the future could be
By Mat Gallagher Published
-
Still want that Tesla Model Y? Xpeng lands in UK with electric G6
Chinese Tesla rival Xpeng has launched in the UK with the £39,990 G6 SUV
By Alistair Charlton Published
-
First electric Ferrari to be revealed in October this year
The Italian supercar maker says its Sir Jony Ive designed EV is just eight months away
By Alistair Charlton Published
-
Va-va-voom! Renault’s crazy new EV is an electric Batmobile
New Renault Filante Record 2025 is a record-hunting laboratory on wheels
By Alistair Charlton Published
-
Looking for a Tesla Model Y alternative? Polestar has a new premium compact SUV on the way
Here’s what we know so far about the Model Y rival, the Polestar 7
By Alistair Charlton Published
-
Troubled EV maker Faraday Future is back (again) at CES
Faraday Future is back, but this time it might actually be onto something
By Alistair Charlton Published
-
Honda goes after Tesla with pair of radical new electric concept cars
Revealed at CES, the pair of EVs will go into production in 2026
By Alistair Charlton Published
-
BMW unveils the next-generation iDrive, and it’s wild
BMW’s brand new operating system the iDrive OS X will feature in the upcoming Neue Klasse models and is its biggest change in 25 years
By Mat Gallagher Published