Audi Q9

The gargantuan new Audi Q9 is officially too large for London

‘Largest Audi of all time’ brings lots of luxury but will be defeated by width restrictors

Pray silence please for the new Audi Q9, or as it’s described in the press release and as such will henceforth be known as “the largest Audi of all time”.

And yes, it really is chuffing massive. At 5.31m long, 2.21m wide and 1.81m tall, THE LARGEST AUDI OF ALL TIME is 50cm longer than a standard UK parking space and too wide to fit through even the larger 7ft (2.13m) width restrictors in London. Yikes.

There’ll be no mistaking it from the front either, because the grille on the standard car is an absolute monster with giant vertical vanes that make it look a little like it’s wearing an oversized Hannibal Lecter mask. S Line trim apparently replaces that with “a bolder Singleframe featuring an open design without slats, a more pronounced lower front end and an accentuated rear spoiler".

Speaking of the rear, it’s actually quite boxy back there, and of course you’ve got a full width lightbar and an illuminated Audi logo. We’re also promised ‘curved digital OLED rear lights’ that can project a second indicator signal onto the road beneath them. Y’know, just in case you hadn’t spotted THE LARGEST AUDI OF ALL TIME.

 
Audi gunning for BMW X7 with large, luxurious Q9 flagship

Audi is gunning for the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS with its first-ever Q9 SUV, a vehicle that the Ingolstadt-based manufacturer describes as "unapologetically high status".

That is reflected in both its size and levels of luxury.

At 5.31 metres long, it is a substantial 238mm longer than its Q7 sibling and even outstretches its Bavarian rival by 130mm.

"Business Class" cabin

But it is not just size that counts; it is what you do with it. To that end, the Audi Q9 elevates the brand with true business-class features such as individual electric seats in the second row, automatic doors and the largest panoramic sunroof ever fitted to an Audi.

The latter is standard across the range and can be opened in segments. At a later date, Audi will offer switchable transparency technology as an option, allowing each of the nine segments to be controlled individually.

A three-row, seven-seat interior layout is standard, but buyers can opt for a 2+2+2 configuration with six power-adjustable seats.

 
Supersized Audi Q9 revealed (and it’s coming to SA)

The new Audi Q9 has been revealed as the German brand’s flagship SUV. And this massive luxury barge has already been pencilled in for a 2027 launch in South Africa…

- New Q9 is larger than both X7 and GLS
- 3.0 V6 TDI engine detailed for Europe
- SQ9 with 4.0-litre V8 confirmed for US
- Scheduled to hit South Africa in 2027

Meet the new Audi Q9. Billed as the Ingolstadt-based automaker’s largest SUV to date, the fresh-faced, 3-row luxury model slots in at the very summit of Audi’s portfolio, above the Q7 and Q8. And it’s already been pencilled in for a 2027 launch in South Africa.

Measuring 5 310 mm long, 2 210 mm wide and 1 810 mm tall (with a wheelbase stretching 3 140 mm), the new Q9 – which will be built in Bratislava, Slovakia – debuts as the largest Audi of all time. For context, the current BMW X7 is 5 181 mm long, while the X167-series Mercedes-Benz GLS measures 5 207 mm from front to back.

The German brand says it will offer 2 “distinct equipment packages” (standard and S line) and 2 interior variants. As standard, the new Audi Q9 will seat 7 occupants across 3 rows, though the luxury SUV will also be optionally available with 6 seats – including a pair of power-adjustable individual pews in the 2nd row.

According to Audi, highlights will include the “largest-ever” panoramic sunroof fitted to an Audi as standard, a Bang & Olufsen premium sound system, alloy wheels up to 23 inches in diameter, digital Matrix LED headlights, 3rd-generation digital OLED taillamps and adaptive air suspension. There are also new “advanced turn signals”, which project stylised indicators onto the ground when signalling at night.

 
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