Audi Is Going To Start Selling Long-Wheelbase Versions Of The Q2

Because of course it would.

MQB is more of a buzzword at Audi right now than e-tron is, even though the two are anything but mutually exclusive. Like the e-tron badge, expect to see more Audis derived from the MQB platform albeit with design differentiations that set them apart from one another. These MQB babies will increasingly come with battery packs loaded inside to help the gasoline engines take a break from emitting carbon into the atmosphere. Indian Autos Blog claims that one such MQB derivative will be a modified version of the Q2.

If you recall, that’s the same small crossover that Audi is set to introduce to the US market within the coming years. If the reports are accurate, this upcoming Q2 will be aimed squarely at the Chinese market. To appeal there, the Q2 will morph into a long-wheelbase variant by next year, extending its 4,191mm wheelbase by an unknown amount. Following that will be an all-electric model bearing “Q2 L e-tron” badges on its trunklid in accordance with the Four Rings’ naming convention for such vehicular mashups. Thanks to MQB’s flexibility, Audi can manufacturer both variants without putting a huge sum of money into a factory retooling to do so.

MQB can even lend its ingenuous method of using space efficiently to cram a battery large enough to propel the crossover for 500 km (310 miles) on a single charge. The list of Q2 Ls with a standard internal combustion engine will be long, with a 114 horsepower 1.0-liter turbocharged unit, a 147 horsepower 1.4-liter turbocharged power plant, and a 187-horse 2.0-liter turbo engine being offered with the Q2 L—all from Volkswagen’s TFSI engine family. Apparently the Chinese market is still big on manuals, which means a 6-speed stick-shift will be available alongside the 7-speed dual-clutch automatic while quattro AWD will be offered only with the 2.0-liter engine.

No mention if the "global" car will be made truly global with the inclusion of a right hand-drive model for India and the UK, but for now its LHD status means a US landing is not out of the question.

2019 Audi Q8 Should Start Around $73,000

Ingolstadt's new crossover coupe launches in Germany from €76,300

Audi has opened the order books for the new Q8... in its home market, at least. While the new flagship crossover won't reach US showrooms for another few months, the German pricing information gives us an idea of what to expect when it does. On the surface, the €76,300 price of admission translates to nearly $90,000 at current exchange rates. That'd put it smack dag in the middle of the 43 and 63-series versions of the Mercedes-AMG GLE Coupe. But with higher taxes in Germany, the straight conversion doesn't paint an accurate picture of US pricing.

More to the point, the Q8's domestic sticker price comes out pretty close to that of the Audi S6 sedan, a model which starts at $71,900 in the US. So when the Q8 hits American showrooms sometime in the third quarter of this year, we'd expect it to carry a price tag starting around $73k – significantly more than the $50k MSRP on a base Q7, and just a bit more than the Mercedes-AMG GLE43 Coupe (or a little less than the BMW X6 xDrive50i) with which it'll do battle. The new Q8 launches in Europe in 50 TDI spec, packing a 3.0-liter turbodiesel with a mild hybrid system – an especially potent combination that delivers a (relatively) modest 286 horsepower but a prodigious 442 lb-ft of torque.

That gives it a 0-62 mph time quoted at 6.3 seconds and a top speed of 152 mph. But given the reputation that the VW group's diesel engines have garnered in the US especially of late, we wouldn't count on that option making its way across the pond. A turbocharged gasoline engine of similar capacity (if not necessarily output) is set to feature as well, and will likely provide the motivation for the US version. The 3.0 TFSI available as the top gasoline engine in the Q7, for what it's worth, offers 333 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque – 47 more horses than the Q8's hybrid diesel, but 117 fewer lb-ft – for a 5.7-second 0-60 mph time.

The Q8 Is Just The Start Of Audi's Ambitious SUV Onslaught

Audi allegedly plotting a Q1, Q6 and Q9 to further expand its SUV lineup.

With SUV sales showing no sign of slowing down, automakers are capitalizing on the demand and launching SUVs to slot into every imaginable segment. Audi has now unveiled the highly anticipated Q8 as the automaker’s new flagship SUV, but it’s just the start of an ambitious SUV onslaught. According to Autocar, Audi is allegedly planning to further expand its SUV lineup with a Q1, Q6 and Q9. The Q1 will reportedly arrive for the 2021 model year and will be the smallest crossover in Audi’s lineup positioned below the Q2.

Since the Q2 isn’t sold in the US, there’s probably little chance of the Q1 arriving in America if it does get the green light, however. This summer, Audi is expected to unveil an all-new Q3 subcompact crossover – and rumors suggest the 400-hp RS version will be sold in America for the first time. And just when you thought Audi couldn’t possibly justify producing any more crossover variants, the automaker has already confirmed the Q4 will arrive in 2019 in the form of a sleek coupe-style, five-seater SUV to rival the BMW X2 and Range Rover Evoque. It will be positioned as a more premium alternative to the Q3, so expect it to look like a shrunken version of the Q8.

Autocar suggests the Q6 will also fill a similar role as a more luxurious alternative to the Q5. The Q8 is Audi’s first attempt at a coupe-style SUV to rival the BMW X6, featuring Audi’s bold new styling language adapted from the A8 sedan, and a high-tech interior with touchscreens and a digital instrument display. In the US, it will be powered by a 340 hp 3.0-liter V6 engine. But while the Q8 acts as Audi’s new flagship SUV, rumors suggest the automaker is working on a Q9 to tap into the ultra-luxury SUV segment and join the Lamborghini Urus and Bentley Bentayga. On August 30, Audi will also be revealing the electric e-tron with a 248-mile range, which could pose a serious threat to the Jaguar I-Pace.

Audi's All-Electric Onslaught To Start This Summer

This model will be the first of a major line-up of fully electric and hybrid models in every existing model range with plans to sell around 800,000 such vehicles buy 2025. Those are ambitious goals and the existing business infrastructure will also be receiving a big overhaul to achieve them. Early adopters of the e-tron SUV will for the first time be able to book certain functions online, the myAudi digital services system is expected to make a significant contribution to Audi’s operating profit over the coming years as it is rolled out to other models.