Audi's Large New SUVs Set to Debut Next Year | Carscoops

      Next year will see the launch of two significant Audi SUVs, showcasing robust power, innovative design, and providing long-awaited competition to established rivals in the market.

      The replacement for the Audi Q7 is set to debut next year, after almost ten years on the market. The Q9 will finally provide Audi with a genuine flagship SUV to compete against the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS. Both vehicles will be constructed on the PPC platform, which supports internal combustion engines as well as hybrid options.

      This past year has been quite eventful for Audi with the introduction of new models like the A5, A6, Q5, and several refreshed versions. The upcoming year promises to be significant for the brand, marked by the confirmation of the all-new Q7 and the long-anticipated Q9, which will serve as Audi's response to the BMW X7 and the Mercedes-Benz GLS.

      Although we have been eagerly awaiting the Q9's arrival, the revamped Q7 could be Audi’s most crucial model next year. The current second-generation Q7 has been in production since 2015, and despite efforts to refresh it with two facelifts, it is in urgent need of an update.

      The new Q7 will be based on Audi’s Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) architecture, manufactured at the same facility in Slovakia as the previous model. While details regarding the powertrain are still unknown, the PPC platform accommodates internal combustion engines, mild-hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and range extenders.

      The Q9 will also hold substantial significance for Audi, both in size and importance. For years, Audi has lacked a flagship SUV to match its top competitors. Like the Q7, the larger Q9 will utilize the same PPC architecture, and we have already spotted it undergoing testing on multiple occasions. Geoffrey Bouqout, Audi’s head of development, has confirmed to Automobilwoche that both the new Q7 and Q9 will launch next year, though he did not specify a timeline.

      Reports suggest that software complications related to the PPC platform have delayed the rollout of both models.

      Spy images indicate that the Q9 will be taller than the current Q7 and will incorporate many of the new design elements seen in other recent Audi models. This includes split headlights and a prominent front grille featuring a honeycomb pattern. The taillights will consist of LED units akin to those on the new A6.

      While powertrain specifics for the Q9 are not yet confirmed, it is anticipated that the more dynamic SQ9 will utilize the same 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine as the outgoing Q7, producing approximately 500 hp and 568 lb-ft (770 Nm) of torque. There is also a chance that a high-performance RS Q9 could be introduced, sharing the same engine as the RS Q8, delivering 631 hp and 627 lb-ft.