Supersized Audi Q9 ready to crash the Mercedes GLS and BMW X7's party

The massive expansion of the upper end of Audi’s model range is only just getting started, with work well under way on its huge new Q9 SUV. Positioned to rival the BMW X7 and Mercedes GLS, the new model will likely share its basic styling and technology with the upcoming Audi Q7, but with seven full-sized seats thanks to a longer and more upright body. 

This segment has proven to be popular for Audi’s key rivals, especially in markets including the USA and China, where a car’s sheer size is less of an issue. As a result, expect this new model to focus on space inside, offering both a truly luxurious second row and a full-sized third. The cabin is also likely to feature elements that appeal to those markets, such as plush captain’s chairs in the second row and extensive use of high-end materials and finishes. 

Thanks to these spy shots, we can also get a good idea of what the new Q9 will look like, adopting a fresh design language that we’ll see first on the upcoming Q3. This will include split headlights and a large single-frame grille, sitting on an upright body with flared box wheelarches and a tall rear screen. This will contrast with the more streamlined Q7, and brings into question whether the Q8 model will be renewed at all. 

Other details have also come to light, including the fact that the production car will probably do without any traditional door handles, instead using little nubs on the window line that open the door via an electronic latch – as on the rear doors of a Ferrari Purosangue. The rear lights follow the same design template set by the new A6 Avant in having a split set of OLED main lights above a thin lightbar and a separate brake light. 

Look closely at the test car in these shots and you can tell that it’s probably the high-performance SQ9 model from tell-tale design elements including the quad exhausts and flared arch surrounds. These will house wider wheels and tyres, in this case likely to be 22 and 23-inch sizes. We can only speculate which engine the new SQ9 will use, but given its focus on markets like the US and China, it’s very likely to feature a V8 powertrain with mild-hybrid assistance. Standard Q9s will also use a range of petrol and plug-in hybrid V6 options.

Inside, the dashboard will feature Audi’s latest MMI system with a main dual-screen display for the driver, as well as an optional screen for the passenger. Expect a further emphasis on tech in the second row, too, including a possible electrochromic glass roof and the latest active safety tech. 

Audi has not officially confirmed the Q9’s release date, but we expect it will be launched around the end of next year or early the year after, priced in line with rivals such as the BMW X7 and GLS, suggesting a starting price in the mid-£80,000s. But before then, we’ll get a good idea of what the Q9 will look like with the new Q3’s imminent unveiling, followed by the Q7 at the beginning of 2026. 

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