Overview
- Audi has officially approved a second‑generation Q8, confirming the large SUV‑coupé will remain in the lineup while technical details and a firm launch date are not yet released.
- The new full‑size Q9 is scheduled to reach Germany in November 2026 with a 3.0‑liter six‑cylinder diesel producing 299 PS and a starting price of €108,400, with a V6 petrol and a plug‑in hybrid planned for spring.
- Audi is pressing for more on‑shore factories because of rising U.S. import tariffs, and the company expects roughly 65% of Q9 sales to come from the United States despite current production in Bratislava.
- Mainline Q8 and Q9 variants are set to lean on mild‑hybrid architectures, while Audi plans high‑performance S/SQ models that could return V8 engines, including a planned SQ9 with a 4.0‑liter V8 near 600 PS aimed at the U.S. market.
- The moves signal a two‑track product strategy where the Q8 stays as the sportier, coupe‑style alternative to the Q7 and the Q9 targets full‑size luxury buyers, and they raise near‑term questions about U.S. production siting, margins from overseas builds, and regional model mixes.