LA Auto Show 2019

600-horsepower 2020 Audi RS Q8 debuts as solution to sluggish Q8

Eileen Falkenberg-Hull
Nov 22, 2019, 12:51 pm

Audi has upped the horsepower, torque, and braking power in this new model compared to the 2020 Audi Q8.

Photo courtesy of Audi AG

Get the family where they're going in a hurry and in style with the new 2020 Audi RS Q8. The model is a supped up version of the Audi Q8, which is commonly knocked for its less than enthusiastic powertrain.

At the front of the new SUV is an octagonal Singleframe and the RS-specific radiator grille. Gloss black front air inlets and a matte aluminum blade up the design ante. The model has wide wheel arches, which boost its muscular appearance. An RS roof-edge spoiler sits at the top rear of the Audi.

2020 Audi RS Q8 rear back tailgate spoiler Audi has added a spoiler to the rear of the RS Q8.Photo courtesy of Audi AG

Under its hood is a biturbo 4.0-liter V8 engine thatacheives 600 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque, which should be enough to satisfy the Q8's critics. The engine is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It gets from zero to 62 mph in a quick 3.8 seconds and has a top speed of 189.5 mph when equipped with the available RS ceramic brakes.

Audi only offers the RS Q8 with all-wheel drive. Torque vectoring technology gives each wheel the right amount of torque at the appropriate time, working to keep the SUV stable on the road.

2020 Audi RS Q8 front face lights grille logo badging A host of technology keeps the RS Q8 planted through corners.Photo courtesy of Audi AG

The RS Q8 come equipped with an adaptive air suspension with controlled damping to make the ride comfortable on or off road. Electromechanical active roll stabilization keeps the SUV planted through corners. There's also variable ground clearance, allowing for more friendly navigation in tough terrain and a better aerodynamics at high speed.

2020 Audi RS Q8 interior black leather MMI touch screen virtual cockpit The interior of the RS Q8 is very similar to the Q8.Photo courtesy of Audi AG

Each RS Q8 gives drivers the choice of seven drive modes: comfort, auto, dynamic, allroad, offroad and the individually configurable RS-specific modes RS1 and RS2, which can be activated directly via the "'RS-MODE'" button on the steering wheel. The modes change the SUV's engine and transmission management, power steering, the air suspension, all-wheel steering and engine sound.

The cabin of the RS Q8 is much like that of the Q8 and that's a good thing. Drivers will find special RS displays inside Audi's virtual cockpit and MMI display.

2020 Audi RS Q8 rear seat A three-seater bend is standard.Photo courtesy of Audi AG

A sliding rear three-seat bench is standard. The cargo area has up to 60.7 cubic feet of space, depending on seating configuration.

The first Audi RS Q8 is expected to arrive in the U.S. in 2020. Pricing will be announced closer to its on-sale date. The Q8 starts around $69,000 and potential buyers should expect the RS variant to be priced considerably higher.

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Government

USPS selects Oshkosh Defense to create next-gen mail delivery vehicles, including a new EV

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Postal Service

The long process to design, engineer, and award a contract for the U.S. Postal Service's (USPS) next-generation mail delivery vehicle (NGDV) has finally come to an end. The government has awarded Oshkosh Defense a contract to produce the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle for service. Oshkosh Defense is a a wholly owned subsidiary of Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE: OSK).

The NGDV project is the USPS's first large-scale fleet procurement in three decades. Over the next 10 years, the contract allows for the delivery of between 50,000 and 165,000 new vehicles.

"Oshkosh operates with unparalleled commitment to those who depend on our products and services to build, protect and serve communities around the world. We are honored to have been selected by the USPS to support their important work by manufacturing American-made Next Generation Delivery Vehicles that will connect every home and business across the United States for decades to come," said John Pfeifer, President & Chief Operating Officer, Oshkosh Corporation.

U.S. Postal Service's Next-Generation Mail Delivery Vehicle

USPS Oshkosh Defense Next generation mail delivery vehicle

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Postal Service

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The new mail trucks will have multiple powertrain options, just like many passenger vehicles on the road today. There will be a battery electric vehicle (BEV) version that runs exclusively on electric power and a fuel-efficient low-emission internal combustion engine vehicles (ICE) variant.

Under the contract awarded today, USPS has committed to paying Oshkosh Defense $482 million as a first step toward the new vehicles' production. The money will be used to finalize the production vehicle design and complete factory build-out, all of which is necessary before production gets underway. The process is similar to ones mass market vehicle manufacturers use.

"Our century-long history of delivering products to customers, operating in some of the most demanding and severe conditions on the planet, uniquely positions us to bring exceptional reliability, safety, and maintainability to USPS's Next Generation Delivery Vehicles," said John Bryant, Executive Vice President, Oshkosh Corporation, and President, Oshkosh Defense. "Partnering with trusted suppliers, we have developed a purpose-built solution to support the current and future needs of the USPS," Bryant concluded.

In addition to a new exterior and powertrain options, the NGTV also gets modern features and amenities like a rearview camera, walk-in cargo area, air condition, telematics, and a sliding cargo door. There's also a host of safety technology and equipment including airbags, automatic front and rear braking, blind spot warning, a 360-degree camera, and forward collision warning.

Production of the next generation delivery vehicle is expected to begin in 2023.

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New Van

Meet the 2022 Carnival, the minivan Kia refuses to call a minivan

The 2022 Kia Carnival was designed to look more like an SUV than a minivan.

Photo courtesy of Kia Motors

When is a minivan not a minivan? When Kia's marketing department decides its not. Apparently. The 2022 Kia Carnival replaces the Sedona minivan in the company's lineup and instead of being called a minivan, Kia has decided that it's a 'multi-purpose vehicle' or MPV for short.

Kia says that the new Carnival stakes a claim on the "unoccupied space between SUV and family hauler". It's not the first model in that territory. The Ford Carousel may be considered the first modern model to occupy the space, but it was just a prototype.

The Carnival was designed at Kia's California design studio. It's bold and boxy rather than sleek and function-forward, like the bodies of the Honda Odyssey, Chrysler Pacifica, and Toyota Sienna. The Odyssey and Pacifica were both refreshed for the 2021 model year while the Sienna was redesigned.

2022 Kia Carnival: Exterior

2022 Kia Carnival: Exterior back

Photo courtesy of Kia Motors

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Kia carries over many of the design elements of the Telluride, Sorento, and Seltos into the new Carnival. It has the company's new tiger nose grille and integrated LED headlights. At its sides are substantial wheel catches while two-tone mirrors and and cutlines run the length of the vehicle. At the rear, geometric trail lamps, a rear skid plate garnish, and reflectors are positioned to make the vehicle look like an SUV. The model rides on 17- and 19-inch wheels, which are available in gloss black.

The Carnival is a three-row van that seats seven or eight, depending on the buyer's preference. The vehicle uniquely features Side-Flex seating in its eight-passenger variant that allows for multiple configurations. Kia describes it as including "a sliding second row center seat which, when in the forward-most position, allows the front passenger easy access the baby or child riding in it. This seat also converts into a functional table."

Heated and ventilated second row 'VIP Lounge Seating' with power controls, wing-out headrests, and leg extensions is available for seven-passengers Carnivals.

2022 Kia Carnival: Interior

2022 Kia Carnival: Interior

Photo courtesy of Kia Motors

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Kia will offer the model in four trim levels: LX, EX, SX< and SX-Prestige.

Kia has given the U.S.-bound version of the Carnival a 3.5-liter V6 engine that delivers best-in-class 290 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. The powertrain is completed by an eight-speed automatic transmission and provides 3,500 pounds of towing capacity.

The van's dimensions offer best-in-class passenger room (168.2 cubic feet) and best-in-class cargo room (145.1 cubic feet behind the front row in LX, EX, and SX grades). Removable second-row seats and fold-in-floor third-row seats help the model achieve its best-in-class cargo room (second row seats not removable in SX-Prestige) title.

Kia will offer the model in three interior color schemes.

The list of standard features includes hands-free opening power sliding doors with Smart Key, and 8-inch infotainment touch screen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

2022 Kia Carnival: Details

2022 Kia Carnival: Details

Photo courtesy of Kia Motors

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A hands-free power lift gate with auto close, Smart Key with one-button open/close functionality for rear sliding doors and liftgate, passenger voice recognition (allows second row occupants to control numerous in-vehicle functions through voice commands by pushing a button mounted on the ceiling), the Passenger Talk intercom system, Rear Passenger View in-cabin camera, dual-screen entertainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android screen mirroring, wireless smartphone charging, navigation, full digital instrument cluster, multi-Bluetooth, up to nine USB ports, a Bose premium audio system, and UVO link telematics are available.

The long list of standard advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) on the Carnival includes: forward collision warning with collision avoidance assist, blind spot monitoring with collision avoidance assist, rear cross traffic warning with collision avoidance assist, rear park assist, lane departure warning with lane keeping assist, automatic high beam headlights, and driver attention monitor.

Buyers can add to the safety technology in the Carnival to include the new 'Kia Drive Wise' ADAS, which includes: Blind-Spot View Monitor, a technology that projects live video view of adjacent lanes in the instrument cluster and activated via the turn signal; speed limit adjustment; navigation-based adaptive cruise control; park assist; and surround-view monitor.

It's the first vehicle Kia is selling in the U.S. with the company's new logo displayed on it. It will go on sale in the second quarter of 2021. Pricing is expected to be made public in the coming months.

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