The 2022 Audi Q9 was seen lately undergoing winter testing with extensive camouflage. From its appearance, the introduction of the new flagship SUV from the Ingolstadt-based premium carmaker isn’t too distant in the offing, and it seems like we’ll undoubtedly have a reply to the BMW X7 and Mercedes GLS.
The forthcoming Audi model will probably extend advanced technology, a luxurious cabin, and sturdy engines. The Q9 will accord a lot with the Porsche Cayenne and Audi Q7, & Q8.
Release Date and Cost
Initially, the new car was said to be revealed in mid-2021, but momentarily this report is denied. As per earlier rumors, the all-new SUV could be displayed in the last semester of the year 2021, but it is less likely.
The car will likely be unveiled only at the commencement of next year, and it will not transpire in sale until mid-2022. The introductory price of the crossover will be approximately 88,000 — 90,000 euros. The cost of the top variants in the maximum configuration would come near to 140,000 — 160,000 euros.
The most pricey model of the 2022 Audi Q9 will be using the ‘Bulgarian Beard.’ Hence, one can anticipate the SUV to extend the best material worth, performance, and technology. In all probability, the Q9 will authoritatively shed its veil towards the start of next year or at least early-mid of next year. The Q9 will have a bottom price of USD 100,000, presenting it as a direct opponent of the BMW X7 and Mercedes GLS.
Specs
Currently, authentic details of the powertrain prospects for the Audi Q9 are rare. Nonetheless, there are ample possibilities that the Q9 would be marketed with a plug-in hybrid system that will utilize the equivalent engine like that of the greener Porsche Cayenne. An all-electric variant, however, doesn’t appear to be on boards. Instead, engine options for the entry-spec 2022 Q9 could include 3.0-liter V6 petrol and diesel mills carried over from the existing VW Group flagships.
Exterior and Interior
The prototype of the Q9 was seen during an all-hush-hush affair wearing a thick camouflage. The new model is a shoe size larger than the Q7 and the Q8. It will indeed highlight a massive front grille and slightly boxy LED taillights. However, a profile highlight of the side panel looks will be the giant 23-inch wheels corresponding to the RSQ8.
The most extravagantly decked and richly finished variants of the car with a design of two separate seats in the second row may be allowed under the Horch sub-brand, which the Ingolstadt-based company proposes to revive.
Inside, the Audi Q9 will be a tech-laden offering because it will be a flagship model packed with a high-quality cabin. Like the Q7, the Q9 will offer a 7-seat layout. In addition, the characteristics list will include pieces like high-quality leather upholstery, extensive screens, multi-zone environment control, sunroof for picturesque view, heated front seats, forward-collision alert, automatic emergency braking, heads-up display, lane-departure caution, and blind-spot monitoring.
Earlier Reports
Audi Q9 is expected to get released by the German company as a new product in 2022. It will compete with BMW X7, Mercedes-Benz GLS and Bentley Bentayga.
The Audi brand belongs to the so-called “German troika”: by the end of 2019, the brand’s dealers sold 740,796 cars in Europe (this is 3.8% more than a year earlier).
For comparison, BMW cars sold 825,035 units during the same period. (+ 0.9%), and Mercedes-Benz cars were found by 906 548 owners (+ 3.3%). Today, at the top of the Audi lineup are the luxurious, roomy Q7 crossover and the sporty Q8. However, the company will likely introduce a new flagship relatively soon.
It is assumed that the new Audi will have to compete for customers with representatives of the “German troika” – BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS and a luxury SUV Bentley Bentayga. The new top SUV is likely to be named Q9. At the start of the year, it was reported that the company had applied for the registration of a corresponding trademark.
There were only rumours about the development of this model (moreover, Audi did not give official confirmation over the past several years). However, foreign media are confident that work on the new flagship is actively pursued. It is assumed that Audi already has test prototypes, and soon the spies will begin to catch them during road tests. More information will appear about the appearance of the future Q9, but even now no one forbids artists to fantasize about how the novelty will look.
So, the designer of the Spanish edition motor.es presented his vision of the new flagship Audi. It is expected that it will borrow a lot from the current Q7. Still, at the same time, it will be longer: according to preliminary data, this size from the Q9 will be 5163 mm (that is, it will be more “elongated” in comparison with the Bentayga with an indicator of 5144 mm). It is assumed that there will be several layouts of the cabin – from four captain’s seats to seven seats.
Judging by the render, the model will receive a large branded radiator grille, while the head optics will have a new “filling” and a narrower and “sharper” shape. The front bumper will be revisited with large integrated air intakes in line with the new styling.
Render Audi Q9
The novelty is expected to hit the market in 2022. According to the Spanish edition’s assumptions, under the hood of the Audi Q9, there will be a 4.0-litre V8 bi-turbo engine, with a return of at least 600 hp. Plug-in hybrids are also expected in the lineup – we are talking about versions 55 TFSI e and 60 TFSI e. It is not yet clear whether to expect sports versions of the S and RS.
Note that the current Q7 with a permanent all-wheel-drive system is also presented in the Russian market. “Our” version is equipped with an uncontested 3.0-litre V6 TDI turbo diesel with a capacity of 249 hp. Moreover, if the Europeans are offered a modernized version with a starter-generator, cars with a pre-reform engine are sold in Russia. It is paired with an eight-speed “automatic”. The crossover needs 6.9 seconds to accelerate from zero to “hundreds”.