Is Audi planning a new SUV to compete with Mercedes G-class? CEO shares the new update

Is Audi planning to launch a new flagship 4x4 in its lineup? While the German brand has not acknowledged that it's working on an all-new off-roader, but Gernot Döllner, CEO of Audi, did not deny the prospects when asked about it during the annual media conference by Autocar. The upcoming SUV is expected to compete with the massively successful Mercedes G-Class and the Land Rover Defender.

He said that the brand has the capability to produce everything from an entry-level electric vehicle, sports car, to rugged SUVs. He further added that, in the future, you can expect a lot from Audi.

A Rugged SUV or the All-New Q9

Since the brand is synonymous with luxury and opulence, a luxury SUV would sit well within its lineup. The brand's new strategy of more localised products for the US market would further add to the manufacturing decisions that the brand would lead with. The all-new Q9, which is set to break cover later this year, has already been photographed while testing under disguise. While speaking about the new Q9, Döllner added that the new iteration of the flagship Q-line model has been specifically developed for the US market. Audi is adamant about capturing the US market, and hence, the new Q8 will be launched in the US first.

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Reports reveal that this is not the first time that the brand is planning to bring in a rugged flagship SUV. Before this, back in 2023, Marc Lichte (ex-head of design at Audi) had suggested that such a model would build on the brand’s legacy. He had said that such a moniker would build neatly with the brand’s Quattro legacy and lead into a highly profitable market that Audi has not been a part of.

Lichte left Audi before any more developments on the new SUV, and Massimo Frascella, the lead exterior designer at Land Rover who revived the Defender moniker, joined Audi, further fueling the rumors that Audi is planning to introduce an all-new rugged SUV. While the brand has not revealed any details, it's possible that the new Defender might be launched as a flagship vehicle to bring in sales for the existing lineup as well.

Previously, it was thought that Audi’s luxury 4x4 might be aligned with similarly conceived debut models from the Volkswagen Group and would possibly be manufactured alongside them at its new factory in South Carolina.

New SUV to Be Manufactured in the US

Döllner had told Autocar that the tariffs had prompted Audi to consider manufacturing cars locally there, and the all-new 4x4 would seem like a viable candidate for US production. The brand has been planning to use existing Volkswagen manufacturing units in the US to produce the vehicle.

The All-New Audi Q9

The all-new Audi Q9 has already been spied testing and will soon be announced at Audi’s annual media conference. The SUV will be the German company's most luxurious model to date. The new Q9 would sit above the existing Q7 and will be offered with either a seven-seater option or with a six-seater layout featuring captain seats.

Audi has been planning to replace the A8 with the Q9. The A8, an upmarket luxury saloon, had gone out of production earlier on. The premier SUV is expected to be based on the Volkswagen Group’s Premium Platform Combustion platform and will be offered with a range of powertrains, including a twin-turbo 4.0-litre petrol V8. This will be the basis of the sibling SUV that Porsche plans to bring out soon after the Q9’s launch.