Audi appears to be working on a new rugged all-electric 4×4 SUV that will challenge the Land Rover Defender and Mercedes-Benz’s mighty G-Class when it launches. The German luxury car brand owned by the Volkswagen Group will reportedly launch the zero-emissions off-roader sometime in 2027, Autocar UK reports. The British motoring publication also claims the SUV will ride on the same trapezoidal chassis built for the revived Scout brand.
Audi’s board is close to giving the project the green light, the report said. It also claims it will be completely separate from the Activesphere concept that the luxury car brand revealed a few days ago. Audi design chief Marc Lichter reportedly said the new electric SUV would not use the PPE architecture already used by Porsche and Audi, or the Ford Ranger architecture that will underpin future Volkswagen SUVs.
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Audi also claims that the all-electric SUV is expected to enter production in 2027. This eliminates the possibility of Audi using the upcoming SSP platform for this SUV. The only remaining option is the Scout EV’s trapezoidal chassis, which seems perfect for a car intended to have the nature of a Scout-like off-road SUV.
The report further said that while Volkswagen is considering a contract with Canadian auto parts maker Magna to manufacture Scout vehicles, Audi is already working with the company on battery technology. Even more interesting, Magna already produces the Mercedes-Benz G-Class in Austria.
Referring to the upcoming SUV, Lichte said Audi needed a car that could build on the success of the Quattro and Sport Quattro technology. “If we’re talking about Quattro 2.0, it’s a better match. I think there’s room for a rugged SUV in Audi’s passenger car lineup,” he said, adding, “There’s potential because there are only two high-end players… And I think there’s room for a third.”
First published date: Jan 30, 2023 at 14:57pm CST
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