Audi is preparing to enter uncharted territory — and it’s aiming straight at two of the toughest players in the game. According to recent comments from Audi CEO Gernot Döllner, the brand is readying a rugged, ultra-luxurious 4×4 to challenge the Land Rover Defender and Mercedes-Benz G-Class. This upcoming SUV won’t just be another model in the lineup — it’s being designed as a halo car that will define the next chapter of Audi design and technology.
A Rugged Reinvention of Vorsprung durch Technik
The idea of a go-anywhere Audi isn’t new. The brand’s off-road legacy dates back to the original Quattro — a car that reshaped rallying and gave Audi its technological edge. But this new SUV promises to be something more radical: a luxurious, off-road-capable flagship that blends brute strength with electric-era sophistication.
The concept was first floated in 2023, when then-design boss Marc Lichte hinted that Audi was missing a key player in its portfolio. “There is potential because there are only two premium players in the luxury 4×4 segment,” Lichte said, referencing the Defender and G-Class. “I think there is space for a third one.”
Lichte’s departure soon after left the project’s future uncertain — until now. His successor, Massimo Frascella, formerly of Jaguar Land Rover, has only fanned the flames of speculation. Frascella’s fingerprints are all over the current Defender, and his move to Ingolstadt suggests Audi’s upcoming 4×4 could share that same mix of minimalist design, robust stance, and timeless appeal.
“Don’t Give Up on That Dream”
When asked directly whether the project is still alive, Döllner’s response was succinct: “Stay tuned.”
That teaser came alongside his vision for a streamlined but strategically targeted Audi lineup. While his broader goal is to simplify the brand’s offerings, Döllner insists that niche, high-impact models still have an essential role to play.
“There is no niche banner,” he said. “It works perfectly to have a more focused line-up in the core, and in addition to that have some niche models to build the brand and transfer new ideas from a niche segment into core products. That works perfectly and this is part of our strategy.”
In other words, this 4×4 won’t just exist to look tough on Instagram. It will be a testbed for Audi’s next-generation tech — possibly including new powertrain architectures, off-road software systems, and interior design concepts that will eventually trickle down to mainstream models like the Q5 and Q8.
Made in America? Possibly.
The model’s production site remains an open question, but the United States has emerged as a likely candidate. The growing appetite for luxury adventure vehicles across the Atlantic, combined with shifting import tariffs, has Audi considering a local manufacturing footprint.
“At a group level, we are right now discussing and investigating whether or not we should have a factory for Audi in the US,” Döllner confirmed. “That’s dependent on a stable tariff situation and also on other regulatory boundary conditions.”
One logical solution? Sharing space with Volkswagen Group’s upcoming Scout brand, which will build its own electric SUV (the Traveler) and pickup (the Terra) in South Carolina starting in 2026. The idea of Audi leveraging that same facility hints at economies of scale — and perhaps some shared componentry — though Döllner was quick to clarify that no final decision has been made.
What to Expect
If Audi’s new flagship follows the brand’s current trajectory, expect a battery-electric platform, heavy use of sustainable materials, and a design language that redefines Audi toughness for the EV age. Think less “Q8 e-tron with skid plates” and more “brutal minimalism meets Bauhaus luxury.”
Whether it ends up called the Audi Q9, Activa, or something entirely new, this model could become the ultimate expression of Audi’s technological and design ethos — a showcase of Vorsprung durch Technik reborn for the wild.
As Döllner said with a grin: “Don’t give up on that dream.”
Source: Audi
