Audi considering production Q5 Cross Cabrio

13 years, 6 months ago - 3 May 2011

It was late in 2007 when Audi lifted the veil on the Cross Cabriolet concept. And it seemed absurd then. First of all, Audi only had the gigantic Q7 in its crossover range then, and Nissan had yet to offer its own CrossCabriolet. Several years on, that drop-top Murano is on the open market and Audi has expanded its line-up with the Q3 and Q5.

And suddenly the notion of a drop-top CUV from Audi... well, it still seems pretty silly, but maybe not quite as much.

Now, word has it that Audi could be considering at least a limited run of Q5 Cross Cabrios. If production, as sources suggest, were limited to around 5,000 units, the contract could go to an independent coachbuilder rather than trying to fit the square peg of a niche model into the round hole of a mass-production automaker. In typical Audi style, Quattro all-wheel drive, a variety of TFSI and TDI engines and a fabric roof would likely be part of the mix. And while we may very well be getting ahead of ourselves, that's what people said before Audi and its German compatriots started busting segments with their ever-expanding model lines.