Wuppertal, Germany - Most of the creations we’ve seen from German tuners in recent times have been more about the performance than the pose, but Manhart’s new RQ 900 is ready to make a statement in more ways than one.
The tuner has thrown in a bold new aerodynamic body kit, complete with wheel arch extensions, lower spoilers all round and exclusive gold detailing, just so you never confuse it with an ‘ordinary’ RS Q8.
But the work done beneath the bonnet is even more impressive as Manhart has managed to extract 662kW and 1080Nm from what was already the fastest SUV that Audi has ever made. That’s a big jump from the 440kW and 800Nm that the standard car boasts.
The tuner hasn’t gone into huge detail about the under-bonnet tinkering that took place, but it does claim to have made “extensive modifications” to Audi’s 4-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine, including the fitment of larger turbochargers and new software, while the transmission has also been upgraded.
The cherry on top, for those of us that appreciate mechanical music, is the Manhart exhaust system, which promises “brute sound”.
The Manhart RQ 900 sits 30mm closer to the tar than regular RS Q8s, and rolls on gigantic 23-inch ‘Concave One’ alloy wheels, which are available in matte black and gunmetal grey diamond, depending on the vehicle colour.
The interior has been given some new decor too, with new trim and golden accents.
It’s an exclusive vehicle too, with Manhart planning to build just ten of them, priced at around 280 000 euro (R5.6 million) in Germany.
