Dieselgate delays Audi Q4 and next A3

Audi has confirmed it has been forced to delay plans to replace the current A3 and introduce an all-new small SUV based on the Audi TT offroad concept.

Speaking to German magazine, auto motor und sport, a company source said: "We are behind in time planning with the next stage of vehicles to be based on the MQB architecture".

According to the insider the A3, which was introduced in 2012 and updated this year, will live on until the end of 2019 and the sporty SUV coupe will not now be introduced to the line-up until 2021.

It's not known how long the MQB cars have been delayed for as the German car-maker had not released any specific dates for both the hatch and SUV, but it's thought the emissions crisis, which has affected 11 million Volkswagen Group vehicles globally, might have had an impact on engine development as engineers were scrambled to fix cars fitted with the software cheats.

It's hoped a production version of the 2014 Audi TT offroad coupe, renamed the Q4, will bring new buyers to the brand in the wake of Dieselgate, which has already led to the axing of Volkswagen's World Rally Championship assault and Audi's World Endurance Championship campaign.

Like the Volkswagen brand, Audi is now also likely to fast-forward the introduction of its pure-electric and plug-in hybrid powertrains in anticipation of a dash away from diesels.

The German car-maker may also offer the same advanced mild hybrid 48-volt petrol the next Volkswagen Golf is set to introduce when it goes on sale in early 2017.