European luxury automakers typically take their time bringing new models to the United States. It can take months, if not years, before a product gets its U.S. visa. However, Audi is about to break with tradition by launching the Q9 in the Land of the Free before a global rollout follows in 2027. It's the first time Ingolstadt rolls out a new model in the U.S. before any other market. The model itself represents a true first for the company, as it has never sold an SUV of this size.
Audi CEO Gernot Döllner noted that the “forthcoming full-size SUVs [Q7 and Q9] are very important for our market positioning in the United States.” The duo will be assembled in Bratislava, Slovakia, where the Volkswagen Group also builds the Porsche Cayenne with combustion engines and electric drivetrains. The Q7 and Q9 won’t go the EV route, as both will offer gas engines and plug-in hybrid drivetrains.
The VW Passat and Skoda Superb twins are also built in Slovakia, where VW is about to end production of the Q7’s sister model, the Touareg. Audi hasn’t said whether the Bratislava-made Q8 will live to see another generation, but the current model’s days appear to be numbered regardless.
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Source: Motor1 Reader
Motor1's Take: Better late than never, Audi is finally going after the Mercedes GLS and BMW X7. Launching the Q9 first in the U.S. is a logical move given the local appetite for large SUVs. Although a global product, Döllner said the luxobarge “has been specifically developed for the U.S. market.” That suggests it will be significantly larger than the Q7, with a far more spacious third row while still ideally offering decent cargo space with all seats in place.
But wait, there's more. An even fancier version is on the way, as Porsche’s flagship SUV, positioned above the Cayenne, will also be built in Bratislava. As with the Q9, it'll ride on the VW Group’s Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) and target not just the U.S., but also the Middle East and China. Expect a rich mix of V6 and V8 engines alongside plug-in hybrids.
It remains to be seen whether the Q9 will gain traction in Europe, where buyers are generally less enamored with oversized SUVs than in the U.S. The next-generation Q7 is expected to grow compared to the outgoing model and should satisfy most customer needs.
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Audi breaks tradition by launching its largest-ever SUV, the Q9, in America first before global rollout.
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This signals how crucial the U.S. luxury SUV market has become for European automakers' growth strategies.
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The Q9 will compete directly with Mercedes GLS and BMW X7 in the full-size luxury SUV segment.