The Audi full-size SUV spotted testing in prototype form over the past year has been revealed as a new model dubbed the Q6, and developed exclusively for China.
While there were rumors the SUV could end up being a new flagship offering bearing the name Q9, the new Q6 is actually a more humble offering based on Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform designed for mainstream vehicles. A stretched version of this platform underpins the Volkswagen Atlas, and early test mules for the Q6 used Atlas bodies to hide their mechanicals.
Audi is yet to officially announce the Q6 but photos of the three-row SUV posted recently to the website of China’s intellectual property office (via Motor1) confirm the identity. Some details were also published on the website, including a length of 200.7 inches and a wheelbase of 117.3 inches. That wheelbase matches up with the wheelbase of the Atlas while the total length is only a few inches longer.
2021 Volkswagen Atlas
The sole powertrain mentioned is a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4, rated at 228 hp in Q6 40 TFSI guise and 262 hp in Q6 45 TFSI guise. An automatic transmission and all-wheel drive complete the mechanical package in both cases. A curb weight of 4,861 pounds and top speed of 129 mph were also mentioned.
The Q6 should be revealed later this year, possibly at Auto China 2022 running in Beijing from April 21-30. Its impending arrival follows that of another China-exclusive Audi, the Q5 E-Tron, last fall.
The Q6 shouldn’t be confused with the Q6 E-Tron set to be launched globally later this year. The Q6 E-Tron is a dedicated electric vehicle based on VW Group’s new PPE platform, and a close cousin of the electric Porsche Macan due in 2023.
Keyword: 2023 Audi Q6 is a 3-row, full-size SUV for China