Photo: Kelsonik / Instagram
Even though the name hasn’t been made official, it stands to reason that Audi would give its upcoming full-size SUV the Q9 moniker, seen as how it will be bigger than the Q7, and even numbers are generally used for sloped roof people haulers in Ingolstadt.
That being said, it doesn’t really matter what they end up calling it, because this upcoming Audi model will have bigger problems than whatever number ends up getting plastered on its tailgate.
Roughly a month ago, our spy photographers caught another Q9 prototype in the wild, undergoing tests, this time with slightly less camouflage than before. Everything is still well hidden, but some of the headlight graphics were visible, as were several important shapes, such as the grille, profile contours and a couple of lines and creases.
That’s where the problem comes into play. As far as we can tell, the Q9, or whatever it ends up getting called, appears to look very Volkswagen Atlas-ish. How much it will remind buyers of the Atlas will directly dictate its success in a segment that already houses quite a few heavy hitters.
Out of Germany, we have the Mercedes-Benz GLS and the BMW X7, both of which moved respectable volume in the U.S. throughout 2021. Then there’s the all-new Range Rover, maybe the most appealing vehicle in its class. Finally, we have all the American premium SUVs, such as the Cadillac Escalade or the Lincoln Navigator, but also the recently introduced Grand Wagoneer from Jeep. It's going to be an uphill battle for the Q9 from the get-go.
To be fair, renderings like this one from Kelsonik are probably too Atlas-based, but the headlight graphics appear to be accurate, as is the overall shape of Audi’s new full-size three-row SUV.
As for when we’ll be able to admire it in the flesh, a debut could happen towards the end of this year or sometime in 2023.
Roughly a month ago, our spy photographers caught another Q9 prototype in the wild, undergoing tests, this time with slightly less camouflage than before. Everything is still well hidden, but some of the headlight graphics were visible, as were several important shapes, such as the grille, profile contours and a couple of lines and creases.
That’s where the problem comes into play. As far as we can tell, the Q9, or whatever it ends up getting called, appears to look very Volkswagen Atlas-ish. How much it will remind buyers of the Atlas will directly dictate its success in a segment that already houses quite a few heavy hitters.
Out of Germany, we have the Mercedes-Benz GLS and the BMW X7, both of which moved respectable volume in the U.S. throughout 2021. Then there’s the all-new Range Rover, maybe the most appealing vehicle in its class. Finally, we have all the American premium SUVs, such as the Cadillac Escalade or the Lincoln Navigator, but also the recently introduced Grand Wagoneer from Jeep. It's going to be an uphill battle for the Q9 from the get-go.
To be fair, renderings like this one from Kelsonik are probably too Atlas-based, but the headlight graphics appear to be accurate, as is the overall shape of Audi’s new full-size three-row SUV.
As for when we’ll be able to admire it in the flesh, a debut could happen towards the end of this year or sometime in 2023.
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