Audi Could Be The Next Luxury Brand To Take On The G-Class

Now, Audi CEO Gernot Döllner has dropped new hints that an Audi off-roader could be in development.

In a recent interview with British publication Autocar, Döllner said to “stay tuned” when asked about the chances of a rugged Audi off-roader. Since taking over the reins at Audi in the fall of 2023, Döllner has focused on simplifying the lineup to refocus efforts on core models. However, he told Autocar that this strategy still allows room for niche models at the upper end of the range to help build the brand and introduce new ideas that could eventually filter down to the core models.

Recent rumors suggest that the Audi off-roader, if approved, would likely ride on the body-on-frame platform developed by fellow Volkswagen Group brand Volkswagen for its electric Scout Traveler SUV and Terra pickup truck. The platform is designed primarily for electric powertrains but can also accommodate an internal combustion engine serving as a range extender – an option planned for the Scout lineup.

The Scouts are expected to launch around 2026 and will be built in the US at a new plant under construction in South Carolina. Döllner told Autocar that the new tariff regime has prompted discussions about whether Audi should also start production in the US, either at an existing facility or a new site. Any Audi off-roader would make sense to be built in the US, which would most likely be the vehicle's largest market.

Another sign that Audi may be serious about a rugged off-roader is the appointment of Massimo Frascella as its new design chief. Frascella replaced Lichte in mid-2024 and previously served at Jaguar Land Rover, where he was largely responsible for the design of the Defender. His first task at Audi has been to develop a new design language for the brand, previewed last month at the Frankfurt Motor Show with the Audi Concept C – an electric sports car concept positioned between the former TT and R8.

Although a Defender- or G-Class-style vehicle would be new territory for Audi, the automaker has a strong off-road racing heritage with models like the Quattro and Sport Quattro, and that continues in the electric era with the RS Q E-Tron racers competing in recent years in the Dakar Rally. The RS Q E-Tron program serves as a test bed for Audi’s next-generation electric all-wheel-drive systems, referred to as Quattro 2.0, which could ultimately underpin a future showroom off-roader.

Still, one can't help but wonder if the timing is off for such a vehicle. There's no question that US buyers like rugged things, but stepping into an expensive segment amid tariff disruptions and political uncertainty may not be a wise move. Factor in the alarming increase in auto loan defaults, and there's a very similar flavor in the US market to that of the Great Recession that kneecapped automakers back in 2008.