SPY PICS: New Audi Q5 warms up

The flourishing SUV market doesn't look like waning any time soon and luxury car makers are capitalising on customer desire for the high-riding wagons. There's no better evidence of this than these fresh spy shots of a trio of upcoming Audi crossovers – the next-generation Q5, all-new Q1 and new A4 allroad.

Arguably the most important model for the German brand -- certainly in the Australian market, where it's the top-selling luxury SUV -- is the next Q5, which faces stiff competition from the BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz's first entrant in the mid-size prestige SUV segment, the upcoming GLC.

Spotted here testing in Europe and expected on sale in Australia by 2017, the second-generation Q5 presents a silhouette that's not too different from the current model's, but detail changes are apparent.

At the rear the exhaust outlets features a new, integrated shape, the tail-lights are slimmer and feature more detailed LED artistry, and the wheel-arches are a little bolder.

Although more cleverly hidden than its rear-end, the new Q5's face appears to bring less change, with Audi's signature slimline headlight design likely to bring only subtle revisions, although their LED detailing is likely to be fancier and the grille has been well hidden to keep car spotters guessing.

Where Audi hopes to best its German rivals – and Britain's Jaguar, if it builds a smaller SUV than next year's all-new F-PACE — is in the technology department.

Based on the new MLB vehicle architecture that also underpins the new A4, Audi's 2017 Q5 will incorporate a host of new technologies, many of which will trickle down from the highly-lauded Q7, including autonomous acceleration, braking and steering, speed-limit recognition, self-parking, digital instruments and a whiz-bang infotainment system with more doodads than a smartphone.

Expected to remain priced from around $60,000 to compete with the X3, GLC, Land Rover Discovery Sport, Range Rover Evoque and Volvo XC60, the new Q5 will be up to 100kg lighter too, improving handling, braking, acceleration and fuel efficiency.

The all-new Audi Q1 is another crucial model for Audi, both globally and in Australia, and it could play a vital role in Audi's plan to leapfrog BMW in sales.

As these latest spy shots show, Audi is in the final phases of testing the vehicle, which will enter production in early 2016, and should be released here by the end of next year.

Featuring a more stylised appearance than the Q5, as evidenced by its upturned headlights, the Q1 will be one of the first Audi production models created under the watch of new design boss Marc Lichte.

A number of all-new style-driven SUVs are coming from the German brand too, such as the TT Q, the Q6 and the flagship Q8 – by 2019 -- but the next-generation Audi A4 allroad will be available much sooner than that.

Essentially the brand-new Audi A4 Avant with a hipster beard, it features a raised ride height, flared wheel-arches and token off-road features.

As with its chief German rivals and the overall Australian market, SUVs look set to eventually dominate at Audi – both in terms of sales and model numbers.