Call it what you will but to our eyes, the Audi Q8 is a neatly executed example of what a “SUV-coupe” must look like. That or our brain has been bombarded with some many iterations of this car body style that we’ve learned to live with it.

In any case, Audi is not about superficiality and that’s why the Q8 can now be ordered with a new powertrain. A plug-in hybrid one, to be more precise, featuring a larger battery pack and two system outputs.

What is the Q8 TFSI e quattro?

In short, a hybrid of the plug-in variety. Meaning, it has a turbocharged combustion engine - 3.0-liter V-6 good for 340 PS (335 horsepower) and 450 Newton-meters (332 pound-feet of torque) - and an electric motor with a peak power of 100 kW. The e-motor is located in the eight-speed tiptronic gearbox’s housing and is juiced up by a 17.8-kWh battery pack.

However, depending on your right foot input and road conditions, for example, the system can send up to 85-percent of torque to the front axle or up to 70 percent to the rear one.

Q8 55 TFSI e quattro vs Q8 60 TFSI e quattro

Audi’s naming scheme can be very confusing at times, but the two versions of the plug-in hybrid Q8 refer strictly to output levels in terms of attainable boost. Let’s take 60 TFSI. It offers a peak system power of 462 PS (455 horsepower) and 700 Newton-meters (516 pound-feet of torque), as well as a 0-100 kph (62 mph) sprint time of 5.4 seconds.

55 TFSI, on the other hand, produces 381 PS (375 horsepower) and 600 Newton-meters (443 pound-feet) of torque and can go from naught to 100 kph (62 mph) in 5.8 seconds.

Both variants’ top speed is capped at 240 kph (149 mph).

As usual, the driver decides what sort of setup is best for his needs via a couple of preset modes that shape the hybrid system’s behaviour accordingly. These are EV and Hybrid, with the mention that Hybrid is further branched into Auto, Hold, and Charge sub-modes.

Audi also tells us that the Q8 e quattro, regardless of what number sits before TFSI, can recuperate up to 25 kilowatts of power just by coasting. What’s more, the e-motor handles braking up to 0.3 g, which covers the sort of braking you perform around the city or in heavy traffic.

I like the sound of this, but is it still spacious?

According to Audi, both variants can sit five people in top-notch comfort conditions. Space-wise, the even-loading-floor trunk has a volume of 505 liters (17.8 cubic feet). Fold down the rear seat and you can extend that to 1,625 liters (57.4 cubic feet).

OK, I want one, hit me with a price tag...

If you live in Europe, a Q8 55 TFSI e quattro will set you back at least 75,350 euro ($89,000 at current exchange rates), while the Q8 60 TFSI e quattro will have you splash at least 92,800 euro (about $110,000).