Back during the New York Auto Show in April, the appearance of a Q9 or SQ9 test mule wearing larger, production-looking wheels as it rolled through Times Square seemed like a bit of an intentional flex. Yes, Audi (and Volkswagen Group) maintain a test facility in New Jersey, and mules can be and often are seen throughout the region. Still, making a wrong turn at the Holland Tunnel and winding through Times Square at precisely the time when a high concentration of automotive journalists would be wandering around Manhattan seemed a little too coincidental.
Audi pulled out of the New York Auto Show a few years ago. As auto shows in the U.S. and abroad became more expensive and harder to justify, manufacturers began vacating the show floor, often leaving any remaining presence to local dealer marketing groups. Admittedly, it’s been a while since we’ve attended New York. Being as Audi-centric as we are, their absence is the primary reason. That’s a pity, though, because we certainly would have been there to catch a glimpse of a Q9 or SQ9 rolling past.
Now, teaser images showing what appears to be the same—or at least a very similar—test mule driving through Manhattan have us wondering if that April appearance was actually part of a carefully orchestrated lead-up to the Q9 reveal, which now appears set to happen this week.
Look at the way people are dressed in the teaser video and it seems to support an April filming date. Winter coats don’t happen in July, nor do heavy sweats when people are shooting hoops on an outdoor court.
We also noticed something else in our feed. Our local dealership, Audi Mechanicsburg, posted a teaser of its own that appears to confirm Wednesday, July 29, as the reveal date. For anyone keeping count, that’s tomorrow.
JUST WHAT IS THE Q9?
It’s hard to imagine readers of this site don’t already know what the Q9 and SQ9 will be, but here’s a quick summary. With EVs not being received as readily in the U.S. as they are in Europe where mandates and the price of fuel have created a discrepancy in consumer buying habits, Audi has further developed its PPC matrix for internal combustion cars and called up the Q7 to a larger size and… voila… the Audi Q9. And, with the Audi A8 currently heading into hiatus, the Q9 arrives just in time to fill that gap.
If you’re thinking Audi’s answer to the BMW X7 then you’re exactly in line with what’s intended here. America (and the other North American markets) like big and internal combustion, and that’s precisely what the Q9 is.
What engines will it have? That has yet to be confirmed, but it’s more than reasonable to think the Q9 and SQ9 will make use of the same engines used by other PPC models. The North American Q7 makes use of the brand’s 2.9-liter biturbo while the SQ9 makes use of the familiar 4.0-liter biturbo seen in the current SQ7, SQ8, and hotter RS 6, RS 7 and RS Q8.
Could they go hybrid? Possibly, but we’re betting against it. Audi’s North American business seems to be focusing on simpler drivetrains on most of the range that help keep modern ballooning curb weights somewhat in check, not to mention simplicity in ownership, maintenance and repair. Further, hybrid batteries aren’t helpful in stowing three row seating configurations and optional captains chairs seen in the Q7 and expected in the Q9.
So keep an eye out. The teasers are coming thick and fast, and it certainly appears the Audi Q9 is imminent. Quite possibly the SQ9 as well, given Audi has chosen New York City for the reveal. Thus far, North America is the only market confirmed for the SQ7 revealed just weeks ago.