The 2008 Audi Q herniates the luxury sport utility envelope with this 4-door behemoth. Cell phones in hand, soccer moms will revel at the ease with which they can bully others for that last compact parking space. For true brute strength, the Audi Q dominates the feed lot with two trim levels, the base, and the Premium. Two V8 engines punish the environment: a 3.6Liter, 280hp unit and a 4.2Liter 350hp wrecking ball-sized engine.

Luxury is the password into the interior of the Q, with leather and imperiled rare woods dazzling the eye. With a tiltable steering wheel and telescoping steering column, you can add the optional bolster seat and give the appearance of a normal human being sitting behind the wheel. Instrumentation is well-placed and easily read, with trip computer and digital clock standard.

Safety is of primary importance in all Audi vehicles, with seat-mounted front side airbags, rollover indicator, reinforced side door beams, and rear side head curtain airbags standard. Equipped with a mechanical liftgate with remote release, the Q pulls out all of the stops to minimize any wasted physical effort on the part of its occupants. We especially liked the anti-theft features which will serve as a vital safeguard if mom is confronted by environmentalist demonstrators.

Gas mileage is as important as ever, and the 2008 Audi Q dutifully reports that its 3.6Liter engine rates 14mpg city, 19mpg highway, while the 4.2Liter confesses 12mpg city 17mpg highway. To be impartial, the new 2008 Audi Q is a handsome, well-engineered luxury SUV that is no bigger part of the environmental problem that any other vehicle in its class. The Audi Q awaits the opportunity to participate in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash tests, soon to be scheduled.