Back in March, Audi CEO Gernot Döllner tiptoed around the idea of an Audi off-roader. A year after the reveal of the Q6 Sportback e-Tron Off-Road Concept, he said that the brand could support rugged SUVs, but that the launch of the new Q9 was the priority. Now we have a reveal date for the Q9, so does that mean the off-roader is next? CarBuzz spoke with Döllner about the project, and the possibilities of help from Rivian and Scout. Rugged SUVs And More Sports Cars Are Both On The Table Audi "When it comes to the Audi brand, I see a lot of opportunities," the CEO said. He said that Audi can deliver sports cars on one side and the Q9 three-row on the other. But he said that the Q9 isn't really for rugged terrain, and so the company "could also think about next steps and extending our portfolio in both directions."Extending in "both directions" means that both "rugged terrain SUVs" and new sports cars are possible. Döllner made it clear that the company hadn't made any decisions yet, but that Audi is "evaluating options in these directions."If you're in the US and you want an all-terrain Audi, let your dealer know. Döllner said he is "specifically listening to the US market in these directions."AudiAt the roundtable discussion, CarBuzz asked Döllner if Audi was likely to start leveraging performance from sibling brands like the VW Group's reborn Scout brand or tech partner Rivian to make the off-roader. Döllner discussed Audi's role in creating the platforms the group used for its larger cars and SUVs, but was not ready to commit to help from other brands. "With the Audi brand, there's a lot possible," he said. "And it's only possible to think about that due to the fact that we are in the Volkswagen Group."It's not an outright yes. If you've spent enough time listening to auto execs, though, it's an answer that shows the possibilities are on the table. Both Scout, VW's restart of that brand with a pickup and SUV built in and for the US and Rivian, which builds electric off-roaders, are in touch with the rugged market that Audi wants to tap. What About An Audi Pickup? Audi Döllner even spoke about the possibility of an Audi pickup truck. He called it "probably one of the last concepts" out of everything thinkable for the brand. But that wasn't a no, should Scout decide it wants something a little more luxurious and Teutonic.Audi has never delivered a rugged off-roader in the way its rival Mercedes-Benz has. Then again, Mercedes-Benz has really only done it with one vehicle, the G-Class. If you step slightly down the scale of ruggedness, you'll find plenty of capable Audis in the back catalog.The Audi Quattro and its rally version are the cars that launched the brand into what it is today. The AWD rally car dominated competition and its main feature is now a crucial part of Audi's identity.Audi followed that up in the early days of the rise of SUVs with the A6-based Allroad Quattro. It was a lifted version of the wagon with cladding and adjustable height air suspension. Hardly a G-Class, but also perfect for what most of its buyers at the time wanted.Successive generations of Allroad and the original Quattro are what have made it possible for Audi to even think about rugged today. Without them, the idea would be little more than a laugh.Audi
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