Audi plots flagship luxury SUV to rival Land Rover Defender
It could be set to lead the next generation of Audi vehicles, while leaning into its off-road heritage...
While BMW and Mercedes-Benz are in the midst of a radical overhaul, Audi has been fairly quiet on its future over the last few months. That could be on the cusp of change, however, with rumours of an all-new model that could become the flagship of Audi’s future fleet.
You see, back in 2023, it was revealed that Audi was considering building a product to open up the luxury off-road SUV market, given there were only really two models dominating the segment: the Land Rover Defender and Mercedes-Benz G-Class.
This new car would not only lean into Audi’s rich history of creating successful off-roaders, but it would be a testbed for the brand’s most advanced technology and systems, eventually trickling into a wider range of models.
Speculation was fuelled when Audi hired the designer who put pen to paper on the new-age Defender. And Audi CEO Gernot Dollner recently hinted that the project is still very much alive, telling our sister title Autocar to “stay tuned” when quizzed on the matter.
There’s been no indication of technical goals at this stage, but it would be fascinating to see how Audi’s approach could differ from the Defender and G-Class.
For perspective, the Defender can be had with three engines – four, six or eight cylinders – two body styles and a multitude of personalisation options. It starts at around £57k for an entry-level Defender 90 hard-top, and stretches all the way to £148k for a no-nonsense, terrain-conquering Octa.
Standing as a slightly more premium alternative is the Mercedes G-Class, which can be specced with either a twin-turbo V8 or inline-six (both mild hybrids), or as an electric car. Pricing for the G-Class starts at £141k for the G450d, with the rorty, snorty AMG G63 costing upwards of £189k. If you’re wanting the green option, the G580 with EQ Technology will set you back £154k.
Audi’s new release will therefore need to tick several boxes: offer plenty of customisation to cater for a wide audience, sit somewhere between the Defender and G-Class’s pricepoints, and likely be the brand’s most advanced car yet. No pressure, then.
It has the makings of a mouthwatering three-way tussle at the top of the luxury SUV food chain. We’ll keep you posted when we know more…
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