"Stay tuned" for a G-Class rival from Audi
Audi boss teases the development and pending confirmation of a four-ringed ladder-frame 4x4The News
Word is that Audi, like BMW, is keen to muscle in on the success of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class and preparing its own rugged 4x4 SUV to take on both the iconic G-Wagon and the Land Rover Defender.
The Key Details
- Audi reportedly gunning for the Mercedes-Benz G-Class
- Halo 4x4 SUV could leverage Scout DNA
- Audi boss: “Stay tuned”
- Scout link could also yield a ute
The Finer Details
Audi has been mulling the prospect of a dedicated ladder-frame 4x4 SUV for a couple of years now as Mercedes-Benz continues to romp in cash from its insanely popular G-Class portfolio.
But it would seem those mullings could be about to fruit going by comments from Audi CEO Gernot Döllner, who told Autocar to “stay tuned” when asked directly if a 4x4 SUV project was still alive.
“Don’t give up on that dream,” he said of a possible Land Rover Defender rival.
For context, Audi’s former design boss, Marc Lichte, said back in 2023 that he saw room for a “third” major player in the luxury 4x4 segment alongside Mercedes and Land Rover, and that such a vehicle would align closely with the brand’s ‘Quattro’ off-road legacy – even if all previous models have been road-bias SUVs and passenger cars.
The Road Ahead
The most logical path from here out would be to leverage to platform and manufacturing facilities of the upcoming Scout 4x4s, more specifically the Traveler SUV, which have already been confirmed to feature battery-electric and range-extender hybrid powertrains.
Access to a ready-built, electrified ladder-frame platform would save Audi a tonne of cash and development time, while leaving plenty of room for it to instil its own DNA to help elevate the resulting product above the targeted Scout audience – the Traveler isn’t exactly a fleet-spec or mainstream vehicle in its own right.
Crucially though, a synergy with Scout could also yield Audi its first pick-up truck – a vehicle Audi Australia has previously been keen to see and secure – in the form of a dressed-up Terra.
The two hypothetical models could even come as a matching set as per the Scouts, albeit without the same volume ambitions as the donor vehicles.
* Images generated by AI
Related: Volkswagen’s Scout 4x4 brand pending for Australia
Related: Classy Audi ute rendered
Related: Audi ute wanted in Australia
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