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Audi’s Electric 4×4 Dream Isn’t Dead Yet

Audi has always flirted with the edges of its own identity. It builds supercars, it builds sensible crossovers, it builds everything in between—but one thing it’s never quite committed to is a proper, mud-slinging, ladder-frame (or at least convincingly rugged) off-roader. That may be about to change.

At Audi’s annual media conference, CEO Gernot Döllner did everything short of confirming it outright: Ingolstadt is, once again, circling the idea of a fully electric luxury 4×4 aimed squarely at the establishment—namely the Land Rover Defender and Mercedes-Benz G-Class. And while the company line remains carefully noncommittal, the subtext is loud and clear: Audi wants in.

“There has always been speculation,” Döllner said, in the kind of statement that usually precedes a reveal by about 18 months. More telling, though, was his framing of Audi’s breadth: from entry-level EVs to sports cars to “rugged SUVs.” That last category has always felt like a missing tooth in the brand’s otherwise polished smile.

This isn’t a new idea. The notion of a flagship Audi 4×4 has been floating around since at least 2023, when then–design boss Marc Lichte pointed out the obvious: in a segment dominated by two premium heavyweights, there’s room—and profit—for a third. Audi, despite its quattro heritage, has never truly capitalized on that lineage in the hardcore off-road space. Instead, it’s spent decades making all-wheel-drive cars that look adventurous but rarely venture far beyond a gravel driveway.

The timing now, however, feels different. Audi is deep into its electric transition, and an EV off-roader offers something more than just another body style—it’s an opportunity to redefine capability. Instant torque, precise motor control, and software-defined drivetrains could give Audi a technical edge, even if it lacks the decades of off-road credibility its rivals trade on.

There’s also a strategic angle, and it’s spelled U-S-A.

Döllner made no secret of Audi’s renewed focus on the American market, where big, expensive SUVs aren’t just popular—they’re practically a requirement. The upcoming Q9, set to become the brand’s largest and most luxurious SUV yet, is being developed with U.S. buyers front of mind and will even launch there first. That alone signals a shift in priorities for a company that historically designed from Europe outward.

An electric off-roader would slot neatly into that playbook. It’s the kind of halo product that resonates in the U.S., where image and capability go hand in hand, even if most examples will spend their lives commuting between Whole Foods and a ski lodge.

And then there’s the production question. With shifting tariffs and geopolitical pressures complicating imports, Audi is actively exploring the idea of building cars locally in the United States. A niche, high-margin model like a luxury electric 4×4 could justify that investment—especially if it shares bones with other Volkswagen Group projects, like the upcoming Scout-branded SUV and pickup being prepped for a South Carolina factory.

Still, there’s an apparent contradiction here. Döllner has also been vocal about simplifying Audi’s lineup, trimming complexity, and focusing on core models. So where does a low-volume, high-cost off-roader fit into that vision?

Paradoxically, it fits perfectly.

As Döllner himself put it, these kinds of “niche” vehicles aren’t distractions—they’re incubators. They build brand image, showcase new technology, and allow ideas to trickle down into the mainstream lineup. Think of it less as a side project and more as a rolling laboratory with leather seats and a six-figure price tag.

And perhaps that’s the most compelling reason to believe this thing is real. Audi doesn’t just need another SUV—it needs a statement. Something that says its electric future isn’t just about efficiency and screens, but about capability, presence, and maybe even a bit of attitude.

For now, the company remains coy. No name, no timeline, no official green light. Just a carefully chosen line from the CEO himself: “Don’t give up on that dream.”

In the world of automotive corporate speak, that’s about as close to a promise as you’re going to get.

Source: Autocar

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Bentley Doubles Down on EVs While Rivals Hedge Their Bets

Bentley is not hedging its bets. While rivals scramble to retrofit their electric ambitions with a safety net of combustion, Crewe is doubling down—quietly, confidently, and perhaps a little defiantly.

At a time when Lotus Cars has pivoted midstream—reengineering its Lotus Eletre X to accommodate a range-extending combustion setup amid cooling demand—Bentley Motors is choosing a different path. Its forthcoming “Luxury Urban EV,” set to debut in the second half of this year, will remain exactly what it was always meant to be: fully electric, no backup plan required.

CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser doesn’t sound like a man interested in engineering compromises. Retrofitting an internal combustion engine—or even a plug-in hybrid system—into Bentley’s new EV platform isn’t just off the table; it’s fundamentally incompatible. The PPE architecture underpinning the car simply wasn’t designed for such duality. And more to the point, Bentley doesn’t want it to be.

That’s a notable stance in a segment that’s showing early signs of hesitation. Premium EV adoption hasn’t exactly stalled, but it has lost some of its initial inevitability. Walliser himself admits that one of the key challenges ahead lies in figuring out just how large the market really is—and who, exactly, is ready to spend six figures on silent propulsion.

Bentley’s answer isn’t to dilute the product. Instead, it’s to diversify the showroom. The plug-in hybrid Bentley Bentayga remains in play as the brand’s bridge to combustion loyalists, ensuring that the new EV doesn’t have to be all things to all buyers. “We’re not here to force anyone,” Walliser effectively says. Translation: if you’re not ready for electric, Bentley still has something for you. If you are, they’re building something entirely new.

And that’s the interesting bit. Bentley insists this isn’t a replacement, but an expansion—a strategic reach toward a different kind of customer. Which raises the question: what exactly is a Bentley EV supposed to be?

Clues are thin, but not nonexistent. The new model will share key underpinnings with the upcoming Porsche Cayenne Electric, suggesting serious hardware. Think dual motors, all-wheel drive, and outputs that could climb into four-digit horsepower territory. If Porsche’s numbers hold—up to 1140 hp and nearly 400 miles of range from a 113 kWh battery—Bentley’s version won’t be lacking in muscle or stamina.

But performance alone doesn’t define a Bentley. According to Matthias Rabe, the goal is something more nuanced: “very comfortable like a Flying Spur and agile like a Continental GT.” That’s a tall order—melding limousine ride quality with grand-tourer sharpness—but if achieved, it could mark a new kind of flagship. Not just electric, but distinctly Bentley.

Rabe goes further, promising blistering acceleration figures and, perhaps most boldly, calling it “the best Bentley on the road.” That’s either marketing bravado or a sign that Crewe sees this car as more than a compliance exercise.

So while others hedge, Bentley commits. No hybrids, no range extenders, no safety nets. Just a clean-sheet EV aimed at buyers who don’t need convincing—or at least, don’t want compromise.

In a market still figuring itself out, that kind of clarity might be the biggest luxury of all.

Source: Bentley

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2027 DS No7: France’s Boldest Shot Yet at Audi and BMW

DS Automobiles has never exactly been accused of playing it safe, but with the new No7, it’s doing something far more consequential: playing for keeps.

This is the successor to the DS 7, a car that quietly carried the brand on its shoulders—at times accounting for half of its total sales. Now comes the replacement, and it arrives not as a mild evolution, but as a clean-sheet rethink aimed squarely at the most hotly contested corner of the premium market: the compact luxury SUV class.

At 4.66 meters long, the No7 grows just enough to matter—five extra centimeters between the axles translates into noticeably improved cabin space—but the bigger change is philosophical. Where the outgoing car leaned heavily on ornate detailing to stand apart, the No7 pivots toward a more cohesive, modern identity. It borrows heavily from the flagship No8, adopting a sharper, more technical aesthetic defined by a V-shaped light signature, an illuminated grille that practically announces itself in Morse code, and available 21-inch wheels that fill the arches with intent.

It’s still unmistakably French, but now it looks like it means business.

Underneath, the No7 shares its bones with a familiar cast of Stellantis stablemates, but DS insists the magic lies in what you don’t see. And what you do get is a powertrain lineup that reflects the industry’s ongoing identity crisis: part electric future, part combustion present.

The headline act is the all-electric variant, packing a 97.2-kWh battery and offering up to 460 miles of range in its most efficient form. That’s not just competitive—it’s borderline showboating in a segment where range anxiety still sells cars. Even more impressive is how it gets there: a drag coefficient of 0.26, achieved not through dramatic coupe-like compromises but careful aerodynamic housekeeping.

For those who want more punch, there’s a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive version producing 370 horsepower and still managing a claimed 422 miles of range. And for buyers not quite ready to cut the cord, DS offers a hybrid setup pairing a 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder with an electric motor for a combined 143 horsepower. It’s not thrilling on paper, but it’s designed for efficiency—up to 53 mpg—and can operate with the engine off around town for roughly half the time.

Charging, meanwhile, is brisk. The EV can pull up to 160 kW and, more importantly, sustain that rate across a useful portion of the battery, adding nearly 120 miles in just 10 minutes. That’s the kind of real-world usability stat that matters more than peak numbers.

Inside, DS leans fully into its boutique luxury ambitions. The cabin is less about minimalist restraint and more about curated opulence. A 16-inch central touchscreen dominates the dash, flanked by a 10-inch driver display, while physical controls remain—thankfully—for key functions. The X-spoke steering wheel looks like it belongs in a concept car, and the dashboard flows seamlessly into the doors, creating a wraparound, cocoon-like effect.

Materials and craftsmanship are where DS is staking its claim. This is not a brand trying to out-German the Germans; it’s offering an alternative—one built on texture, detail, and a certain Parisian flair.

And then there’s the ride. DS’s Active Scan suspension system uses cameras and sensors to read the road ahead and adjust damping in real time. It’s the kind of tech that sounds like a gimmick until you drive over a broken stretch of pavement and realize the car already knew it was coming.

Pricing is expected to start around £40,000 for the hybrid and £45,000 for the EV, putting it right in the crosshairs of established players. It’ll be built in Italy alongside its corporate cousins, but DS is betting that design, comfort, and technology will justify the premium.

That’s the gamble here. The No7 isn’t just another entry in a crowded segment—it’s a statement of intent. If it succeeds, DS moves from niche curiosity to serious contender. If it doesn’t, well, there’s no understating what’s at stake.

Either way, this is the car that will define what DS becomes next.

Source: DS Automobiles

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