#Q4 e-tron suspension

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Audi E Tron Vs Audi Q4 E-Tron: Key Differences & Similarities!

If you are looking for a premium electric SUV, you might be interested in the Audi E Tron Vs Audi Q4 E-Tron comparison. These two models are part of Audi’s growing range of electric vehicles, and they offer different features and benefits for different needs and preferences.  In this article, we will explore the key differences and similarities between the Audi E-Tron and the Audi Q4 E-Tron, such…

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The Audi Q4 e-tron concept

It has been roughly a year since the first series production Audi with electric drive made its debut at the same location: The Audi e-tron* was still covered in camouflage wrapping foil at that point. The brand with the four rings is now giving an advance look at a further automobile with an all-electric drive at the Geneva Motor Show: The Audi Q4 e-tron concept is a compact four-door SUV with an exterior length of 4.59 meters whose relation to the Audi e-tron is apparent at first glance.

Two electric motors mobilize 225 kW of system power in the Q4 e-tron concept. As is typical for Audi, the driving power of the concept vehicle is brought to the road with quattro all-wheel drive. Thanks to excellent traction, it accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in just 6.3 seconds. It reaches its maximum speed at an electronically limited 180 km/h. A large battery with a capacity of 82 kilowatt hours takes up almost the entire space in the underbody area between the axles. The range of over 450 kilometers – in line with the WLTP standard – sets the benchmark in its class. The technology of the Q4 e-tron concept controls the modular electrification platform (MEB) that will be integrated in numerous electric vehicles produced by the Volkswagen Group in the future, from the compact class to the superior medium-size class.

The Audi Q4 e-tron concept gives an advance look at what will already be the fifth series production electric vehicle that the manufacturer will introduce by the end of 2020. Sales of the Audi e-tron have already started, and the first vehicles will be delivered to the customers before the end of March 2019. Later this year, the Audi e-tron Sportback will be presented, and the Audi Q2L e-tron, which was designed specifically for the Chinese market, will roll off the assembly line. The presentation of the production version of the four-door high-performance coupé Audi e-tron GT, which is being developed at Audi Sport GmbH, is planned for the second half of 2020. The compact Audi Q4 e-tron is to make its production debut at the same time. With this offer, Audi now covers all important market segments with all-electric drive vehicles, from the A segment to the full-size class, just under two years after the launch of the first electric car.

Compact on the outside, spacious on the inside: dimensions and interior 4.59 meters long, 1.90 meters wide, 1.61 meters tall: With its dimensions, the Audi Q4 e-tron concept takes its position in the upper third of the compact class. Its road space requirements thus qualify the electric SUV as an agile all-rounder that is suitable for city driving as well. In terms of the interior, by contrast, its wheelbase of 2.77 meters puts it at least one class higher. As there is no transmission tunnel restricting the space, the Q4 e-tron concept offers unsuspected spaciousness and comfort, especially in terms of legroom both at the front and in the rear.

The sense of spaciousness is underlined by the color scheme. While light, warm colors dominate the upper section of the cabin, the dark carpet in the floor section provides a contrast. The headlining, the window pillars and the upper section of the door rail and dash panel are fitted with white and beige microfiber textiles. In the Audi e-tron concept, sustainability is the top priority not only in terms of the electric drive: The floor covering is made of recycled materials. Instead of chrome-plated metal decor frames, the surfaces are covered with a high-quality multi-layer paint finish. The painted frosted Plexiglas on the applications creates an intensive depth effect. Four seats with integrated head restraints are upholstered with comfortable Alcantara material manufactured with exquisite workmanship. Double seams stitched with thick yarn adorn the upholstery.

The display of the virtual cockpit with the most important display elements for speed, charge level and navigation is located behind the steering wheel. The large-format head-up display with an augmented reality function is a new feature. It can display important graphical information, such as directional arrows for turning, directly on the course of the road.

Control panels designed as touch elements on the steering wheel spokes can be used to select frequently used functions. In the middle above the center console, there is a 12.3 inch touchscreen via which the infotainment and vehicle functions are displayed and operated. It is tilted toward the driver for greater ease of operation. A strip of buttons for controlling the air conditioning is located below it. As the center console does not need to hold functional elements such as a gear lever or hand brake actuation elements, it is designed as a spacious stowage compartment that includes a cell phone charging cradle. There is a horizontal area in high-quality design into which the selector button for the transmission mode is integrated and that also serves as a cover for the front section of the console. In addition to the conventional lower storage compartment, the doors now provide the possibility to store bottles in the specially molded upper section, where they are easy to reach.

Visibly Audi, visibly e-tron: the exterior The Q4 e-tron concept is identifiable as an Audi at first glance by the Singleframe with the brand logo, the four rings. And it will take no more than two glances to see that this is an electric Audi e-tron: Like the first production Audi with electric drive, the new concept vehicle also features a structured closed surface within a broad, almost upright octagonal frame in place of a traditional radiator grille. Air is supplied via large inlets that extend from below the two matrix LED headlights all the way down to the front apron.

The prominently modelled fenders of all four wheels are a further classic Audi design feature that distinguishes the brand. The widened features of the Q4 e-tron concept are designed to be highly organic and flowing, and they add a characteristic touch to the side view. The accentuation of the rocker panel area between the axles, where the battery and thus the powerhouse of this SUV is located, is a typical feature of the e-tron. Large 22 inch wheels leave no doubt about the potential of the Audi e-tron concept. Its roof line slants down slightly toward the back, giving the silhouette a particularly dynamic look.

The striking broad light band that connects the two lamp units on the rear end of the Audi Q4 e-tron concept was incorporated to reflect an element of the Audi e-tron. The relation within the e-tron family becomes visible even here. This also applies to the inside of the lights, where the significant sweep of the LED segments is also reminiscent of an element of the older brother.

Finally, the body paint in “Solar Sky,” a shade of blue that changes depending on the angle of the light, is a sustainable innovation in two senses: The paint, which was developed specifically for the Audi Q4 e-tron concept and produced under environmentally friendly conditions, effectively reflects a short-wave fraction of sunlight, near the infrared spectrum. This reduces the build-up of heat on the surface of the body and the interior significantly. This benefits the subjective well-being of the occupants while at the same time reducing the energy input required for the air conditioning, which is then not needed as much to cool the vehicle interior on warm days. This, in turn, improves the range and the global carbon footprint of the Q4 e-tron concept.

Efficient performer: drive system and suspension The modular electrification platform (MEB) offers a broad range of drive variants and power levels. The performance version of the electric drive is installed in the Audi Q4 e-tron concept. The front and rear axles are each powered by an electric motor – the Q4 is a quattro. There is no mechanical connection between the axles. Instead, an electronic control ensures that the torque distribution is coordinated optimally, and it does so in fractions of a second. That enables the electric SUV to achieve optimum traction in all weather conditions and on any type of surface.

In most cases, the Audi Q4 e-tron concept mainly uses its rear electric motor, a permanently excited synchronous motor, in order to achieve the highest efficiency. For reasons of efficiency, the drive torque is generally distributed with a rear-axle bias. If the driver demands more power than the rear electric motor can supply, the electric all-wheel drive uses the front asynchronous motor to redistribute the torque as required to the front axle. This also happens predictively even before slip occurs in icy conditions or when cornering fast, or if the car understeers or oversteers.

The electric motor in the rear end has an output of 150 kW and mobilizes a torque of 310 newton meters; the front engine supplies the front wheels with up to 75 kW and 150 newton meters. The system power is 225 kW. The battery in the vehicle floor stores 82 kilowatt hours, which allows for a range of more than 450 kilometers according to the WLTP standard. The battery is charged with a maximum of 125 kilowatts. As a result, it takes hardly more than 30 minutes to return to 80 percent of the total capacity.

However, the recipe for this excellent range involves far more than just a battery with a large capacity. Like the first member of the family, the Audi e-tron, the Audi Q4 e-tron concept is also a versatile artist when it comes to efficiency. From the low aerodynamic drag of the body, whose Cd value is 0.28, to the sophisticated recuperation strategy, the compact SUV uses every opportunity to optimize its range. The complex thermal management of the drive and battery, which involves a CO2 heat pump, also contributes to this.

Sporty, precise handling A key factor for the sporty character and outstanding transverse dynamics is the low and central position at which the drive components are installed. The high-voltage battery system is optimally matched to the dimensions of the Audi Q4 e-tron and is located between the axles in the form of a flat, broad block beneath the passenger compartment. The battery system weighs 510 kilograms. The center of gravity of the Audi Q4 e-tron concept is therefore at a similar level to that of a sedan with a conventional drive system. Axle load distribution is perfectly balanced at almost 50:50. The front wheels of the Q4 e-tron concept are guided on a MacPherson axle with adaptive dampers. In the rear, there is a multi-link axle with separate springs and adaptive dampers.

The modular electrification platform MEB: the base MLB, MQB – modular longitudinal platform and modular lateral platform: These component systems for vehicle development represent a great success story in all segments of Audi and the Volkswagen Group. Previous platforms were designed primarily for the use of combustion engines. What is new and different about the modular electrification platform: It was designed specifically and exclusively for automobiles with electric drive systems. Axles, drives, wheelbases and the interaction between all components are selected and adapted specifically for e-mobility. The placement of the large-volume battery units and their geometry can be optimized without having to make concessions to other drive concepts that must always be taken into account in the MLB and MQB.

At the same time, huge synergy potential can be opened up with the MEB. This platform serves as the basis primarily for electric cars in the high-volume A segment. It allows the best technology available to be developed jointly across brands and used in many different electric cars. In particular, the MEB also helps electric mobility to break through even in the particularly price-sensitive compact segment.

Electric offensive: twelve all-electric drive models by 2025 The brand with the four rings launched its electric offensive with the world premiere of the all-electric SUV Audi e-tron in September 2018. By 2025, Audi will offer twelve automobiles with all-electric drive in the most important markets worldwide and achieve roughly one-third of its sales with electrified models. The SUVs within this portfolio include the e-tron and the e-tron Sportback due to make its debut in 2019. In addition, there will be a range of models with classic body layout such as Avant and Sportback. The range will cover every relevant market segment from the compact class to the luxury class.

The Audi e-tron GT concept show car, a highly dynamic coupé with a low floor, made its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show 2018. The technology in this automobile was developed in collaboration with Porsche; the design and character of the e-tron GT concept are packed full of unmistakable Audi DNA. The project will be developed into volume-production models by the end of 2020.

The Premium Platform Electric (PPE) is a special joint project of the development departments at Audi and Porsche. It will be the foundation for multiple Audi model families with all-electric drive covering the high-volume B through D segments.

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Audi Q4 e-tron concept debuts

This one has been a long time coming. We finally get to see the new Audi Q4 e-tron, albeit in its early concept stage. The compact four-door SUV has an exterior length of 4.59 metres, and design-wise it’s clear the Q4 shares some similarities with the original Audi e-tron.

But first, let’s take a look at its electric propulsion system. The Q4 sits on Audi’s modular electrification platform (MEB), and both drive axles get an electric motor – the Q4 is a quattro. However, there is no mechanical connection between the axles. Instead, an electronic control continuously monitors torque distribution, helping the electric SUV achieve optimum traction in all weather conditions and road surfaces.

In most cases, the Q4 e-tron is primarily rear-wheel driven for efficiency purposes. The front electric motor will only kick into action when the driver demands more performance, or when slip is detected.

The rear-mounted motor is more powerful, deploying 150 kW (204 PS) and 310 Nm of torque, whereas the front unit makes up to 75 kW (102 PS) and 150 Nm of torque. The combined system output is 225 kW (306 PS), and both motors are juiced by an 82 kWh battery (weighs 510 kg in total) that’s stored under the floor. Audi says this enables a driving range of over 450 km (WLTP standard), and DC fast-charging (via CCS connector) is capped at 125 kW. It takes around 30 minutes to get an 80% charge.

For outright acceleration, the Q4 e-tron sprints from zero to 100 km/h in 6.3 seconds before reaching an electronically limited top speed of 180 km/h. Axle load distribution is said to be perfectly balanced at almost 50:50. For suspension, the front gets MacPherson struts while the rear gets a multi-link setup with separate springs. All four corners get adaptive dampers as standard.

On the design side of things, there’s no mistaking this Audi for anything else but an e-tron. The front fascia is dominated by the closed Singleframe grille, and cool air is supplied via large inlets that extend from below the two matrix LED headlights all the way down to the front apron.

The prominent fenders are classic Audi styling, while the accentuated rocker panel area between the axles – where the battery rests – is a typical feature of the e-tron. Here, the Q4 concept sits on huge 22-inch wheels, and the profile view is completed with the muscular rear haunches and slanting roofline. All this contribute to a slick body – the Q4 e-tron claims to have a drag coefficient value of 0.28 Cd.

Behind, in typical modern Audi fashion, the tail lights are conjoined with graphics that are reminiscent of its older brother (the e-tron). To finish off the exterior, the model you see here is painted in “Solar Sky.”

It’s a shade of blue that changes depending on the angle of the light, and it’s developed specifically for the Audi Q4 e-tron concept and produced under environmentally friendly conditions. Another function of the paint is that it helps reduce heat build-up on the surface of the body and the interior.

Inside, again, the cabin looks familiar, albeit less cluttered compared to the original e-tron. This may change as it gets closer to production, but in concept form the Q4 e-tron gets the Audi virtual cockpit, large head-up display with augmented reality function, as well as a hexagonal steering wheel.

In the middle rests a 12.3-inch touchscreen unit that’s slightly angled towards the driver for greater ease of operation. A row of buttons for HVAC controls is located below it. Notice the rather bare centre console? Well, the lack of need for a gear lever or hand brake gives more room for stowage compartments, including a cell phone charging cradle.

The gear selectors now take the form of buttons on top of a piano black panel, and it appears to “float” just below the air-conditioning controls. The specially moulded lower door section also boast the ability to store water bottles, and it’s designed in a way that’s easy to reach. So, what do you think?

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2020 Audi E-Tron Sportback costs $78,395, has 218 miles of range

A sleeker, sportier 2020 E-Tron Sportback is coming to join the E-Tron in Audi’s growing EV portfolio this summer.

The E-Tron Sportback is a coupe-like version of the E-Tron battery-electric SUV that went on sale in 2018, and it will sell at a slight premium, with Audi announcing Thursday a starting price of $78,395 versus $75,795 for the regular E-Tron. Both figures include destination.

The E-Tron Sportback debuts with the same mechanicals as the E-Tron, meaning a dual-motor setup delivering 355 horsepower (402 hp with Boost Mode) and all-wheel drive—a setup good for 0-60 mph acceleration in 5.5 seconds. A sportier S variant with a tri-motor setup good for 496 hp is also coming, though Audi hasn’t said when it will land.

2020 Audi E-Tron Sportback

The battery in the E-Tron Sportback is a 95-kilowatt-hour unit and Audi quotes an EPA-estimated range of 218 miles. The regular E-Tron is rated at 204 miles by the EPA, with the extra miles of the E-Tron Sportback likely due to its slipperier shape. Using a high-speed charger, an 80-percent charge can be completed in about 30 minutes, according to Audi.

Anyone purchasing a new E-Tron Sportback will receive 1,000 kWh of free charging (equivalent to approximately 2,500 miles of range) at Electrify America fast-charging stations to be used within the first four years of ownership. Electrify America currently has 400 charging stations across the country and plans to double this by 2022.

Also included as standard is adaptive air suspension, 20-inch wheels, heated and cooled seats, a digital instrument cluster, and a surround-view camera. There’s also standard navigation with a feature that estimates where the vehicle can travel based on its current charge state.

Audi E-tron Sportback

To mark the E-Tron Sportback’s market arrival, Audi is offering a special launch edition that will come in an exclusive Plasma Blue shade of paint, together with orange brake calipers, Monaco Gray Valcona leather trim, and a few additional special touches. Numbers will be limited and pricing for this model hasn’t been.

Production of the E-Tron and E-Tron Sportback is handled at Audi’s plant in Brussels, Belgium.

Audi plans to have 20 EVs in its lineup by 2025. Others in the pipeline we know of include an E-Tron GT super sedan, Q4 E-Tron compact SUV, and an A4-sized model that might end up replacing the A5.

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Tags: 2020, 218, 78395, Audi, costs, ETron, Miles, range, Sportback

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Is Volkswagen Ending Production of the Beetle

It’s your last chance to own a brand new VW Beetle! The 2019 “Final Edition” marks the end of production for this 80-year-old iconic model as it steers towards its line of all-electric vehicles.

autobahn-performance.com looks back in time and recounts some of the significant milestones of the Beetle along with some lesser known facts.

1938 – The First VW Beetle

You may be astonished to learn that the first Beetle, known as the Type 1, was commissioned by none other than Adolf Hitler. Volkswagen, founded in Wolfsburg, Germany in 1937, was owned by the German government and originally named “Volkswagenwerk” which translates to “The People’s Car Company.”

The Type 1 rolled off the assembly line in 1938 and has had many nicknames over the years, Käfer (Beetle in German), Beetle, Bug, and many others throughout the world. One nickname it could have garnered but never did was that of its designer, the Austrian automotive engineer, Ferdinand Porsche (yes, the founder of the Porsche car company).

1949 – The Beetle Comes to America

It was on January 8, 1949, that the first Beetle arrived in the port of New York. That year sales of the German manufactured car reached 2 in the US.

It was the following year, 1950, that the Beetle gained some traction in the US with 328 vehicles sold.

In 1955, the 1 millionth Volkswagen Beetle rolled off the assembly line.

1959 – “Think Small” Beetle Advertising Campaign

The New York advertising agency Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB) created and launched the now legendary “Think small” ad campaign for Volkswagen (with a tiny Beetle in a plane of white space). As a result, Beetle sales take off.

The campaign was named “the best advertising campaign of the 20th century” by Ad Age. Read more at adage.com/article/special-report-the-advertising-century/ad-age-advertising-century-top-100-campaigns/140918

1960s – The Beetle Is The Top Seller

The 1960s saw the Volkswagen Beetle become the top-selling foreign-made vehicle in the United States.

1968 – The Type 1 Is Now The Beetle

Until 1968, this vehicle was known and marketed as the Type 1, at which time, the name was officially changed to the Volkswagen Beetle in all of its North American advertising campaigns.

Also in 1968, The feature film “The Love Bug” starring Herbie – a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle – was released at the cost of $5 million and grossed $51 million at the box office.

The success of the production spawned 4 more feature films, a five-episode television series, and a made-for-television comedy adventure film, not to mention all of the accompanying merchandising.

In 2015, the Beetle that starred as Herbie went to auction and sold at Barrett-Jackson’s Palm Beach auction for $126,000 then, three years later at the same auction, it sold for $128,700 making it the world’s most valuable VW Beetle for a second time.

1971 – The Super Beetle

It was in 1971 that Volkswagen introduced the Super Beetle and the Super Beetle convertible. The new model was equipped with new front suspension and more trunk space (still located under the hood).

1972 – The Beetle Sets A Record

It was on February 17, 1972, that Beetle # 15,007,034 rolled off the assembly line and into the history books, surpassing the previous record held by the Ford Model T for 40 years as the best-selling car worldwide.

1977 and 1979 – The End of US Production

5 years after shattering the Model T’s record, 1977 marked the last model-year of Volkswagen first-generation Beetle sedan sales in the United States.

Then, 1979 saw the end of convertible Beetle production in the US.

1998 – The New Beetle Comes to Market

Volkswagen (after 60 years) finally gave the Beetle its first update. Basically mounted on the Volkswagen Golf platform, the car retained lines that recalled the Type 1, and was now equipped with a 115 horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and a small vase mounted on the dashboard (flower-power).

1999 – Car of The Century Competition

It was in the 1999 Car of the Century competition (to determine the world’s most influential car of the 20th century) that Volkswagen’s Type 1 placed fourth, following the Ford Model T, the Mini, and the Citroën DS.

2011 and 2012 – Redesigned and Convertible

The Beetle underwent its third redesign in 2011, giving birth to the third-generation beetle. In 2012, Volkswagen launched the Beetle Convertible and offered 50s, 60s, and 70s tribute models.

2018 – Volkswagen Squashes the Bug

Amidst 5 years of declining sales, Volkswagen made the announcement that it would pull the plug on the Beetle. The two final models; the Final Edition SE and the Final Edition SEL are also available as convertibles.

While Volkswagen is exterminating the Beetle, it continues to innovate and produce electric vehicles with cutting edge technology. Read more at autobahn-performance.com/audi-vw/new-q4-e-tron-all-electric-affordable-suv/

If you believe this to indeed be the end of the line for the beloved Beetle, know that Hinrich J. Woebcken, president and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, said in his September 13, 2018 announcement, “Never say never.”

With 21,529,464 produced worldwide, the Beetle is the longest-running and most-manufactured vehicle of a single platform ever made.

Watch this video to see the VW Final Edition Beetle SE and SEL.

Volkswagen Calls it Quits for The Beetle

The summer of 2019 marks the end of production for the legendary and record-setting Volkswagen Beetle.

In this article, you discovered the rich and storied timeline of the most-manufactured single platform vehicle ever made, the Volkswagen Beetle.

If you’re in the market for a Beetle, don’t delay, this may be your last opportunity to own a brand new one.

Sources: https://newsroom.vw.com/vehicles/goodbye-beetle/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/msolomon/2018/09/14/luxury-lineage-a-brief-history-of-the-volkswagen-beetle/#188220825048 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-volkswagen-beetle/volkswagen-to-end-production-of-the-beetle-next-year-idUSKCN1LT315

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Geneva 2019: Audi Q4 e-tron Concept is a surprisingly pretty crossover

For car enthusiasts, there may not be any other car segment as dreary as the compact premium crossover segment. Cars like the BMW X1 and Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class are fine family vehicles but they’re painfully boring. So the idea of one powered only by electricity is even more boring. However, BMW’s Bavarian rival has other things to say about that, with the Audi Q4 e-tron Concept.

Debuting at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, the Audi Q4 e-tron Concept shows off the brand’s plans for a small, premium, electric crossover. It’s a car that could compete with the BMW iX3, though we think it’s going to be a bit smaller. Personally, I also think it’s a bit better looking.

Okay, so I’m not in love with the face. It’s grille is a bit odd looking but the rest of it looks great. The flared wheel arches, muscular haunches, tapered roofline and large wheels all combine to make it look very sporty, very athletic. It looks its best from the rear three-quarters angle, where it looks like a proper sporty SUV.

The Audi Q4 e-tron will be built on the VW Group’s MEB platform, which is a modular electric architecture that also underpins the Volkswagen I.D. electric hatchback. It’s a high-tech new architecture that, in Q4 e-tron-guise, will house a 82 kWh battery pack that should provide the electric Audi with about 249 miles of total range.

  Sending power to the wheels will be two electric motors, one at each axle. The rear axle motor will make 201 hp and 228 lb-ft of torque, while the front axle gets 100 hp and 110 lb-ft. Combined, they make 301 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque. According to Audi, the Q4 e-tron will get from 0-60 mph in 6.3 seconds. That’s not rocket-ship fast.

Thanks to its multi-link rear suspension, McPherson front axle and adaptive dampers, it’s designed to be fun to drive as well. Audi seems to feel as if this new Q4 e-tron will be a sporty and exciting SUV to drive. We hope that’s true.

On the inside, the Audi Q4 e-tron looks like a mashup between the Audi Q3 and e-tron SUV. So it has the same basic layout of the Q3, just with some of the e-tron’s fancy tech and Virtual Cockpit. It’s not the most lavish of interiors but it’s smart looking, high-tech and simple. Build quality will likely be superb, as with all Audis.

This is a surprisingly good looking electric crossover and one that could become a big seller. It competes in a segment that’s extremely popular among customers, it boasts an all-electric range that’s far enough for 90-percent of drivers and it sports some sharp and interesting looks. So this could be the car that Audi uses to pull traditional customers over to the electric side.

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Audi Doubles Down – Q8 and Q4 SUVs To See Production by Turn of the Decade

Automakers have latched onto and sucked continuously on the fleshy meat that is consumer demand for SUVs, crossovers, and an imaginary segment known as the coupe-SUV. The latter of which is a filled by a small number of SUVs that have manufacturer proclaimed “coupe-like dimensions” while riding on jacked-up, SUV-like suspension. It’s a mishmash of vehicle types, really, but we’ll leave that discussion for another time. The point is, our insatiable love for SUVs have led automakers to believe that the market is going to continue growing almost indefinitely. So much so that Ford believes it’s going to account for more than 45 percent of the auto industry within the next five or seven years. But, Ford isn’t the only one, as we’ve just received word that the Audi Q8 and, surprisingly, the Audi Q4 are about to go into production.

The Audi Q8, which we’ve already seen in concept form more than once, with the Q8 E-tron Concept getting a ton of attention at the Detroit Auto Show and it’s sibling – the Q8 Sport Concept – garnering its fair share of attention from the Geneva International Motor Show. They were obviously big hits, and Audi is wasting no time on the production version – it’s slated to go into production sometime in 2018 (probably early-2018) in Slovakia. The model will be Audi’s range-topping SUV, dethroning the Q7 and increasing Audi’s personal chunk of the Luxury SUV segment. It will be produced alongside the Q7 s and Q7 e-tron.

Then you’ve got this mythical creature known as the Audi Q4. This model has been rumored for years but was finally confirmed back in 2011 when VAG’s design boss confirmed that it and the Q6 were coming. Well, after that the trail went cold for a while, but then we saw the 2014 Audi TT Offroad Concept and the rumors began to fly that this concept was going to be the basis for the Q4. It wasn’t until 2016 that Audi finally got the Q4 name from FCA. It was trademarked six months later, and now we finally hear that it’s set to go into production as a “compact utility vehicle” at BMW’s Hungary plant in 2019.

Keep reading for the rest of the story

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