Audi is talking about rugged vehicles again. Not launching one. Not confirming one, just talking about one.
The conversation resurfaced roughly a year after the Q6 Sportback e-Tron Off-Road Concept appeared. During a recent discussion, Audi CEO Gernot Döllner spoke about areas where the brand still sees room to grow. Sports cars entered the discussion. So did SUVs aimed at rougher terrain.
One thing became clear early. Audi views the upcoming Q9 differently. Döllner described the three-row model as part of the company’s future portfolio, though not as a vehicle intended for demanding off-road use. That leaves another space open. According to him, Audi continues examining where its range might expand next.
Nothing has been approved. Nothing has been ruled out either. Döllner said the company is evaluating opportunities in both directions. Rugged terrain SUVs remain under consideration. Additional sports cars remain under consideration as well. The answer felt intentionally broad, which is often how these conversations go when decisions still sit somewhere down the road.
The United States market appeared several times in the discussion. Döllner stated that he is specifically listening to American customers regarding these topics. For buyers hoping Audi eventually develops something tougher than its current crossover lineup, that detail matters.
Then the conversation drifted toward partnerships. CarBuzz asked whether a future off-road Audi might draw from assets associated with Scout or Rivian. Scout, Volkswagen’s revived American brand, is preparing both a pickup and an SUV. Rivian already operates in the electric off-road space.
Döllner avoided making commitments. He spoke instead about Audi’s role inside the Volkswagen Group and its involvement in developing platforms for larger vehicles. Scout was mentioned. Rivian was mentioned too. Neither received a firm endorsement. What Döllner did say was that Audi’s position within the group expands the number of possibilities available to the brand.
A pickup surfaced briefly as well. Döllner described an Audi truck as one of the last concepts he would place near the front of the company’s wish list. Still, the idea did not receive a flat rejection. The door remains open, even if only slightly.
Audi lacks a direct counterpart to the Mercedes-Benz G-Class. Then again, off-road capability is hardly foreign to the company.
The original Quattro and its rally variant played a major role in shaping Audi’s identity. All-wheel-drive performance became one of the brand’s defining traits. Later, the A6-based Allroad Quattro pushed further in that direction with raised ride height, exterior cladding, and adjustable-height air suspension.
Viewed through that history, today’s discussions feel less unusual. Successive generations of the Allroad and the legacy of the Quattro have given Audi a foundation for conversations about tougher vehicles. Whether those conversations become a production model remains unanswered. For now, Audi is still exploring where the next branch of its lineup should lead.
