- An Audi off-roader could rival the G-Class and Defender.
- Scout’s body-on-frame platform could be a strong fit.
- It was designed for BEV and range-extender setups.
Audi may be edging closer to a serious off-road contender, one that could borrow heavily from within the VW Group’s expanding toolkit. The company is weighing the idea of a ladder-frame off-roader, potentially drawing on groundwork already laid by Scout Motors in the United States. Still, executives are quick to stress that no final decision has been made.
For decades, Mercedes-Benz has fielded the G-Class, and today it sells in greater numbers than ever. Audi has never offered a direct rival. That may soon change, as the brand has confirmed it is considering a rugged 4×4, news that is likely to stir interest among its loyalists.
If approved, it would mark a significant expansion beyond Audi’s current unibody SUV lineup and place the model squarely among traditional body-on-frame players such as the Defender, Land Cruiser, and G-Class.
Read: Audi’s New 4×4 Could Blend Scout DNA With G-Class Swagger
Speaking to carsales.com.au about a possible Land Rover Defender rival, Audi chief executive Gernot Dollner did little to dampen the speculation. “Of course, we are thinking about something like that,” he said, before adding, “no decision has been taken yet… but it is definitely in the framework that we are thinking about.”
Scout Traveler And Terra As Templates
However, before Audi commits to such a model, it’ll need to ensure it has the right platform for the job. Developing an all-new one from scratch would be too costly, so the body-on-frame chassis for the Scout Traveler and Terra would be the most plausible starting point.
At present, Scout’s ladder-frame is the only suitable body-on-frame platform within the Volkswagen Group pipeline, effectively making it the default candidate.
“You need a platform that is authentic in this segment, otherwise it does not make sense,” Dollner explained. “The positive about the Audi brand is that almost every segment is thinkable. The spread from an entry, low-floor A-segment to a D-segment or an off-road car, that is all possible with the Audi brand.”
Dollner also acknowledged that for Audi to quickly launch a ladder-frame SUV, in part of its new ‘China speed’ development era where new cars are brought to the market in just two to three years from conception, “you need some sort of platform to build on.”
Making the Scout platform the best option for Audi is also that it has been developed from the outset to support fully-electric and range-extender electric powertrains. The latter of these options is proving to be the most popular for Scout and will include a small engine serving as a generator, positioned behind the rear axle.
Scout has also engineered the platform with genuine off-road intent, citing more than 300 mm (11.8 inches) of ground clearance, roughly 900 mm (35.4 inches) of wading depth, up to 4500 kg (9,921 lbs) of braked towing in EV form, and about 900 kg (1,984 lbs) of payload. It will also pack front and rear locking differentials plus dual electric motors for full-time 4×4.
