With the Amarok model launched almost 16 years ago, there is still no SUV-built model that revolves around the same body-on-frame philosophy. However, the Volkswagen Group is not ignoring the idea of building a serious off-roader with a luxury attitude.
Audi CEO Gernot Döllner, speaking to Australian magazine Carsales, made it clear that Ingolstadt is open to a true 4×4—under specific conditions.
“If we do something like that… it is only thinkable to do it on a platform that is already there. No decision has been taken yet, but it is definitely in the framework that we are thinking about. You need a platform that is authentic in this segment, otherwise it does not make sense.”
The emphasis is unmistakable: no clean-sheet architecture. Any future Audi off-roader would have to rely on existing hardware, and more specifically, something authentic to the segment. Last year’s Q6 E-Tron Offroad concept hinted at interest, but that vehicle—with its portal axles—was based on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE). Döllner instead pointed toward a ladder-frame setup if Audi were to challenge established players like the G-Class and Defender.
The most logical solution sits within the VW Group portfolio. Scout Motors’ new body-on-frame architecture could provide the foundation. The Terra pickup and Traveler SUV are entering production next year as EVs, with the option of a range-extending gasoline engine. If Audi were to build on that structure, it would avoid the cost of developing a new platform from scratch—precisely the scenario Döllner ruled out.
There is no green light yet. In fact, the CEO was clear that no decision had been taken. Even if approved, such a model would likely not debut before around 2030. That timeline alone suggests this is more framework than program at this stage.
Still, the brand’s identity leaves room. “The positive about the Audi brand is that almost every segment is thinkable.” With Quattro deeply embedded in Audi’s heritage, a high-riding, terrain-capable model does not feel entirely out of character. It would almost certainly sit above the sub-$60,000 Traveler in pricing, should it ever materialize.
In the meantime, Audi’s SUV expansion heads elsewhere. A true three-row SUV—the Q9—will go official this year as a rival to the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS. A next-generation Q7 is already locked in for 2026.
For now, the off-road ambition remains conditional. Possible, perhaps logical—but only if the structure beneath it already exists.
2025 Audi Q6 e-tron Off-Road Concept – Photo Gallery
