As had been suggested earlier, Audi hopes to fight the success of the BMW X6 with its own luxury coupe-crossover, which could be called the Q6. A new report from Automotive News says Audi has confirmed plans to launch a new vehicle positioned between the two-row Q5 and three-row Q7.
"We will definitely launch a sportier crossover in between the Q7 and Q5," Volkswagen Group design chief Walter de' Silva told
Automotive News. He would not specify when the BMW X6 competitor will debut. The Q6 will probably be built on the same chassis as the larger Q7, but will have five seats and a lower, sloping roofline.
The Q6 will also get a more steeply raked windshield and a broader stance. Power choices should comprise a 220-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four, a 300-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6, and a 252-hp 3.0-liter turbodiesel V-6. Though the Q6 could go on sale by 2013, we believe Audi could wait to launch the car until the next-generation Q5 debuts in 2016.
Audi also is reportedly considering a rival for the upcoming BMW X4, possibly called the Q4. If so, the new vehicle would slot between the Q3 and Q5 in Audi's lineup. The X4, confirmed for production by BMW CEO Norbert Reithofer, is a sportier crossover based on the X3. It is expected to debut by 2014.
The Q4 would probably be a two-door affair, either designed a sporty on-road crossover or a masculine off-roader. It will probably use the same engine lineup as the Q6 -- a 2.0-liter turbo-four, 3.0-liter turbo-V-6, and 3.0-liter turbodiesel V-6. We believe it won't debut until 2017.