HIGH VOLTAGE

The refreshed Audi Q8 e-tron has a higher capacity battery, some new clothes and plenty of all-round ability

- Pablo Chaterji

Hands up if you're as confused as I am about Audi's model names. Back in the good old days, you could tell an Audi's engine size and what fuel it sipped by looking at its badge. This relatively foolproof method was deemed too simple, however, and suddenly you had badges like the 30 TFSI and the 30 TDI; the numbers kept increasing, of course, leading to some head-scratching. As if these weren't enough, the e-tron badge then came along to add to the confusion, but at least there's a 'Q8' now suffixed to 'e-tron' to distinguish this particular car from its numerous stablemates.

There are also a few other things to distinguish it from its predecessor, mainly by way of design elements, since their underpinnings are exactly the same. You'll notice a new grille design, with a 2D Audi logo set in a glass panel which lights up. The bumpers are new, as are the air dams in front of the front wheels and the aerodynamic vents that open and shut according to the level of aero/cooling that is required. Smooth airflow was clearly a major requirement, given the new alloy wheel design, but the slim, digital ORVMs that are available as an option abroad are not offered here; apparently Audi India carried out a customer survey in which the vast majority of respondents wanted regular mirrors.