Two prototypes of a rumored Audi Q9 have been spied testing in Germany. One of the prototypes looks particularly bizarre as it doesn’t have production-ready headlights and simply has circular headlamps, turn signals, and fog lights popping out from the camouflage. This prototype is also intriguing as it appears to be sporting the bodywork of a VW Atlas, hence why the rear half of the SUV looks so familiar. By comparison, the second prototype which was spied on the roads near the Nurburgring, does seem to have its production-ready bodywork.
Immediately catching the eye with both
test cars is a large single-frame grille that has a slightly more bulbous and
less angular design than some other current Audi models. This grille also
sports a large section where various sensors and the radar will be housed. The
rear-end has been disguised by camouflage just as well as the front, although
we can see LED taillights and a shapely bumper.
For quite some time, there were rumors
that suggested the Audi Q9 could adopt a coupe-like body but it is now thought
that Audi will take a more traditional approach with the vehicle and pitch it
as a direct rival to the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS.
A plethora of different powertrains can be
expected, including at least one plug-in hybrid that could have a 3.0-liter
petrol V6 like the Audi Q7 55 TFSI e and 60 TFSI e, or a larger 4.0-liter
petrol V8. Regardless of which powertrain Audi opts for, the plug-in hybrid Q9
should have an electric range of around 50 km. The big question surrounding the
Audi Q9 is which markets it will be sold. Some rumors suggest that Audi’s
Chinese division is leading the development of the vehicle and that it will be
a Chinese-only affair and effectively take the form of a significantly modified
VW Atlas.
