Audi Q7 Grows Out of Its Suit, Becomes the Q9 Flagship SUV – It's Real This Time

This tester was immortalized doing its thing in the cold, and while it looks like a slightly modified current-gen Q7, it actually uses the latter's body and the Q9's underpinnings, which makes it a mule and not a prototype.

As a result, we don't have anything to report on in the looks department other than the extended section between the front and rear doors, which suggests that it has a longer wheelbase than the one of the current Q7. To no one's surprise, it will translate to an even more spacious cockpit.

Reports indicate that the four-ring brand will play it safe regarding the underpinnings, as it is expected to use an updated version of the MLB. This will also underpin the upcoming A5, which will replace the current A4 as per Audi's new naming scheme. Knowing how the Ingolstadt brand operates, chances are the Q9 will be one of the most comfortable crossovers in the segment, which also includes the Mercedes GLS and BMW X7.

Details surrounding the powertrain family are limited at this point, yet in all likelihood, it will launch with mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid assemblies. It is possible that the SQ9 will top the family, perhaps featuring the ubiquitous 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 alongside the stiffer suspension, beefier brakes, sporty bumpers, front sports seats with integrated headrests, the usual S logos, and maybe exclusive upholstery and trim. The quattro all-wheel drive system should be standard across the range, and it has been said that all models will feature a DCT (dual-clutch transmission).

Audi is far from putting the final touches on its first-ever Q9, and since it will probably be a few more months (or at least weeks) until we start seeing the first heavily camouflaged prototypes on the road, with the camo being gradually reduced until the grand unveiling, it will be a while until it premieres. We have no idea when the car manufacturer will pull the wraps off its body. Some say it might be in late 2024; others say it might be sometime next year. One thing seems certain, or so we believe, anyway, and that is the fact that it might be a 2026 model when it arrives in the United States.

Mind you, there is absolutely no reason to believe that Audi won't bring it to our market, where such models sell like hotcakes. It will also launch in Europe (obviously), likely before it crosses the Atlantic Ocean, and it should also make its way to some parts of Asia and maybe Australia, too. Future buyers will probably have to pay around $90k for the Q9 in the New World.