Tag Archives: Audi Q9

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Audi Q9: The SUV That Replaces the Audi A8’s Crown

Audi doesn’t do subtle when it comes to flagships. And with the arrival of the Audi Q9 later this year, Ingolstadt is making it clear that the age of the limousine as the ultimate expression of luxury is fading in the rearview mirror.

This is the new apex predator of the lineup—a high-riding, three-row monument to excess that quietly ushers out the Audi A8 and replaces it with something far more in tune with what buyers in places like the United States, China, and the Middle East actually want: size, presence, and a commanding view over traffic.

Positioned above the already sizable Audi Q7, the Q9 isn’t just bigger—it’s a statement. Expect a silhouette defined by a long, imposing hood and an even more imposing evolution of Audi’s signature single-frame grille, now stretched and sharpened into something that looks less like a design feature and more like a declaration of intent. If subtlety was ever part of the brief, it didn’t survive the first sketch.

Inside, Audi is shifting the luxury conversation rearward. Like its sedan predecessor, the Q9 is engineered with passengers in mind—particularly those not holding the steering wheel. Buyers will be able to choose between a conventional seven-seat layout or a six-seat configuration with individual rear thrones that promise the sort of comfort typically reserved for private jets and boardrooms. In other words, this isn’t just a family hauler; it’s a rolling executive lounge.

Under the skin, the Q9 is expected to ride on an extended version of the Premium Platform Combustion (PPC), the Volkswagen Group’s latest toolkit for large, combustion-powered luxury vehicles. Translation: big engines, long wheelbases, and the kind of refinement that can smother rough pavement without breaking a sweat.

And yes, there will be a proper engine to match the attitude. The range is likely to culminate in an SQ9 variant packing a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8—because if you’re going to build a flagship SUV in 2026, restraint is not part of the equation.

Audi CEO Gernot Döllner didn’t mince words when introducing the model: the Q9 is the new flagship. More importantly, it’s a car built with global heavy-hitters in mind, particularly the American market, where bigger has long meant better, and SUVs have all but replaced sedans in the luxury hierarchy.

Interestingly, the Q9 won’t stand alone for long. It will reportedly underpin a future flagship SUV from Porsche, currently known by the codename K1. That model, expected later this decade, will share production roots in Bratislava, Slovakia—further proof that in the modern automotive world, even the most exclusive machines are often part of a bigger corporate puzzle.

So here we are. The A8 is gone, the SUV has taken the throne, and Audi’s new flagship doesn’t glide low to the ground—it towers over it. Whether that says more about progress or preference depends on where you’re sitting. Ideally, in the back seat of a Q9.

Source: Audi

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Audi introduces a new naming scheme

Audi has been confusing the public for seven years with its naming scheme, i.e. the numbers on its TFSI, TDI and Quattro models, and now the manufacturer from Ingolstadt, Germany, has decided to change it.

Audi has decided to simplify its offering, starting with the new electric crossover, the Audi Q6 E-Tron. The standard version of this model will be known as the Q6 E-Tron Quattro, and will have four-wheel drive, while the more powerful version is called the SQ6 E-Tron. However, Audi could offer a version with a different battery size, which will be called “Performance”.

The head of Audi’s sales and marketing department for electric vehicles, Florian Hauser, confirmed in an interview with Auto Express that it is no longer necessary to use the numbers, and that the decision to remove them will also apply to diesel and gasoline models. The two-digit designation will be incorporated from the lids and tailgate of models with internal combustion engines, but it is not yet known whether the previous nomenclature will be completely discarded by dropping it from configurators, marketing materials and the like.

Also, former Audi director Markus Duesmann confirmed last year that some models will get new names. From the next generation Audi A4 will become A5 and A6 will become A7. It remains to be seen whether a sedan will arrive as a successor to the outgoing A4 after photos of the Sportback were released.

It is obvious that Audi has decided to separate the electric models (A4 and A6) from the ICE models (A5 and A7) with new designations. Some models will be retired in the meantime, such as the Audi A1 and the Q2 subcompact crossover. At the end of last year, the same fate befell the sports model TT, while the end of March will mean the end of the R8 model.

It should be noted that Audi is seriously considering the Q9 SUV. This could fit into the plans of the German company, which previously announced that it will introduce several new models in the next two years, and the Q9 could be one of them. “Yes, of course. If you look at our volume compared to other brands, you will see that we are not in some segments unlike them,” said Managing Director of Audi Australia Jeff Mannering.

Currently it is not known whether the Q9 will be fully electric or powered by an internal combustion engine, but if we remember that Audi plans to produce only EVs from 2026, electric motors are a closer option.

Source: Audi, Auto Express

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Audi is seriously considering the SUV Q9

It has been rumored for many years that Audi could produce the Q9 SUV, and according to the latest information, it could happen soon. This could fit into the plans of the German company, which previously announced that it will introduce several new models in the next two years, and the Q9 could be one of them.

“Yes, of course. If you look at our volume compared to other brands, you will see that we are not in some segments unlike them,” said Managing Director of Audi Australia Jeff Mannering.

He also said the name sounds good, and if it goes into production, it should represent the top of the range. It would be significantly larger than the Q7 model, with a focus on comfort and luxury for passengers. The current Q7 offers three rows of seats, but it is far from competing with Mercedes and BMW models when it comes to luxury. Thus, the new SUV would be Audi’s response to the competition.

When it comes to the powertrain, it is not known whether the Q9 will be fully electric or powered by an internal combustion engine, but if we remember that Audi plans to produce only EVs from 2026, electric motors are a closer option. However, we should not forget that the VW Group has a number of ICE options such as V6 diesel and gasoline, as well as twin-turbo V8 engines for potential S and RS versions.

Source: Audi