Since at least 2013 there have been rumors around a Audi Q9 , a full-size SUV, the biggest of all four-ring SUVs. After all these years, the rumors may finally become reality.
We are seeing the first signs that Audi may be working on a future rival for models like the Mercedes-Benz GLS or the BMW X7, but the truth is that there is still no absolute certainty as to what this test prototype actually is.
Doubts about what it is arise when we analyze the images in some more detail.
The test prototype was picked up near the Volkswagen Group's test facility in Sweden and appears to be nothing more than a Volkswagen Atlas — the German brand's largest SUV sold in North America — whose front end has been replaced by a typical Audi (the grille) Singleframe thus denounces it). The rear is also different from the big Volkswagen SUV, integrating different rear optics.
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Will it still be an initial testing mule? Perhaps, however, it is intriguing that, when viewed in profile, it maintains exactly the same proportions as the Atlas (the glazed area and the trapezoidal wheel arches are also identical) which, remember, derives from the MQB platform (the same as the Golf and Passat, with transverse engine), as opposed to models like the Volkswagen Touareg or the Audi Q7 that derive from the MLB (with longitudinal engine).
Could it be anything other than the Audi Q9?
There is another aspect that distinguishes this prototype from others picked up in Audi tests: its camouflage. It doesn't match the type of camouflage we see on the brand's test prototypes in Europe, but it does match the same type of camouflage that is seen on the brand's test prototypes for China.
A detail that ends up giving rise to another rumor. Could Audi be developing a specific model for the Chinese market? It would be nothing new. There are many manufacturers, such as Audi, that sell specific models for China. The best known are, perhaps, the long versions of the brand's sedans, such as the A4 or A6.
There are others, however, that are not variants of already known models. For example, almost a year ago we saw Volkswagen launch a large MPV (much larger than the Sharan) just for the Chinese market, the Viloran (also based on MQB). Could Audi follow the same path and have a large SUV only for the Chinese market?
We will have to wait some more time for a definitive answer. In 2022 this new SUV XL from Audi is expected to be unveiled, whether the Q9 or not.