Audi confirms the Q9, a luxury behemoth with 7 seats aimed directly at the Mercedes GLS
It’s an open secret, but it has now been officially confirmed. One of the executives at Audi, responsible for the development of new models, has ratified the arrival of the new Q9. The largest SUV from the four-ring brand will debut in 2026, becoming the flagship of the manufacturer.
It has been known for more than two years that Audi was working on one of the largest and most luxurious SUVs on the market, although it was the first spy photos of a prototype of the new Audi Q9 that confirmed it. The German brand surprised during the last winter tests with a model significantly larger than the new generation of the Q7.
It was clear that a larger SUV was on the way, fulfilling a dream that some Audi executives opposed, and that Gerald Döllner has made a reality after letting a flagship like the Audi A8 slowly fade away. The luxurious German sedan does not seem to have a replacement, so the manufacturer has opted for a solution not suitable for all markets, as you can see in these new spy photos of one of the most luxurious versions of the Audi Q9.
The unprecedented Audi Q9 will arrive in 2026, confirmed
Because it is clear that this SUV is not suitable for all markets, such as the European one. Our photographers point out that it is immense, the proportions confirm it in this Q9 that will measure 5.5 meters long. A dimension not surprising, considering that the Q7 currently on sale is just over five meters and the new model will be even larger.
Details, for now, have remained in the inkwell of Geoffrey Bouquot, one of the senior executives of the brand and responsible for the development of new models, who has made some sparse statements to a German media, confirming the arrival of this new Audi Q9 in 2026. Bouquot did not indicate a specific date, but did point out that it will be one of the new features planned in the launch agenda for next year, just like the fourth generation of the Audi Q7.
The bulk of Audi Q9 sales will be concentrated outside Europe
The camouflage does not hide the design of this new Audi Q9, which features the same split headlights as its smaller sibling and the refreshed Q3, a design also shared at the rear. Here the taillights are divided into two sections, with a lower half that has a thin horizontal strip connecting to the opposite end. In between, the Singleframe grille shows a unique design, shared with the luxurious A8 Horch sold in China.
With a spacious interior for seven passengers, even allowing five-seat configurations and with all the technologies and comfort features you can imagine, this rival of the Mercedes GLS will be offered with powerful gasoline and diesel engines. It may seem strange, but while we have seen PHEV versions of the new Q7, we have not seen any of this behemoth. Another indication that its commercial destiny is more related to the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and, to a lesser extent, China...
