This article is part of the 2023 New Releases Special. Over 100 launches to discover, with support from Millennium bcp.
Everyone knows the Audi Quattro - a car that won virtually everything there was to win in rallying - is, in all likelihood, Audi’s most iconic model.
Yet another Audi sits very close behind it, not because of a standout competition record - even though it did achieve respectable results on the circuits - but because it was the model that truly propelled the “four rings” marque into a direct fight with Mercedes-Benz and BMW back in 1995. We are, of course, talking about the Audi A4.
With that heritage, the arrival of each new A4 generation - internal code B10 - always carries particular weight. Some things never change, and this is one of them.
Other things, however, are set to change… dramatically. We had already reported that the next Audi A4 generation would drop the Limousine (saloon) and exist only as the Avant (estate). More recently, fresh rumours suggest the upcoming A4 will head in an even more radical direction.
To the point where the next A4 could even be renamed A5, according to the British publication Auto Express. In other words, instead of a new A4 Avant, we would get an A5 Avant; meanwhile the A4 saloon and the A5 Sportback would be combined into a single model.
And Audi may not stop there, with further model name changes also on the table. These significant renamings are said to be part of a wider strategy to draw a clearer line between the brand’s internal-combustion models and its electric ones.
Under this approach, models with even numbers in their badges would be electric, while odd-numbered models would use combustion engines. The strategy is already visible across the brand’s SUVs: from the Q4 e-tron to the Q8 e-tron, with the future Q6 e-tron in between. But the roadmap also includes an A6 e-tron and… an Audi A4 e-tron.
Returning to the future Audi A4 - sorry… - A5, there are still not many concrete details about the next generation. What is known is that it will sit on the familiar MLB-evo platform and offer petrol (TFSI) and Diesel (TDI) engines, alongside plug-in hybrid variants. It will be the last generation of Audi’s mid-range line-up to feature combustion engines.
Slightly updated Audi A3
It remains one of the most celebrated models in the premium compact segment. Perhaps for that reason, the current Audi A3 is due a light update this year.
This refreshed Audi A3 will bring cosmetic and technology upgrades designed to keep the model feeling current. It is worth remembering that this segment has been among the hardest hit by the “SUV fever”.
That may also explain why Audi has chosen to give the updated A3 a few SUV-inspired cues in an AllStreet version. This is a new addition to the A3 range, created for drivers who enjoy a sense of adventure but still want a more “traditional” body style.
Audi Q5 has not been forgotten
While e-tron models have not yet fully taken over Audi’s line-up - it is mainly a matter of time - the Audi Q5 continues on its natural path.
Although it first arrived in 2016, the Audi Q5 still posts strong sales - it is the brand’s best-selling SUV worldwide. But the calendar does not “forgive”, so the Q5 is also set to receive a new generation in 2023.
At the entry point of the range, TFSI and TDI engines will remain, joined by plug-in hybrid versions - more powerful, but also more expensive.
The “powerful” Q7 and Q8 keep their status
The Audi Q7 and Q8 sit at the top of Audi’s SUV hierarchy. In 2023, that standing will be refreshed. Like the models mentioned above, both are due to receive updates.
If we know the “four rings” marque, the changes will be very subtle indeed. You will need a keen eye to spot them. Will it be enough to keep these models feeling fresh until at least… 2025? Only time will tell.
Finally, an electric update
OK… it is not exactly a brand-new model. As with the vehicles just mentioned, this is an update - specifically for the Q8 e-tron and Q8 e-tron Sportback.
Among all the Volkswagen Group brands - starting with Skoda and ending with Bentley - Audi was the brand that committed earliest to the path of full electrification, without concessions.
After the debut of the e-tron SUV - the first 100% electric model from the “new” Audi - more EVs followed in an ever broader range: from the Q4 e-tron to the e-tron GT.
Audi’s first electric SUV - the pioneer of the e-tron family - receives important improvements this year. Greater range, more power, and a revised exterior are among the key updates. And, of course, there is the new name that clarifies its position in the hierarchy.
A model that Razão Automóvel has already tested in the most powerful SQ8 e-tron version:
More electric models on the way
Additional all-electric Audi launches had been expected for 2023, notably the Q6 e-tron and A6 e-tron, but uncertainties now outweigh certainties.
After Porsche announced its new Macan would be pushed back to 2024 - a vehicle whose electric variants will share the dedicated PPE EV platform with Audi - Audi is left with few alternatives.
Because of software development delays at Cariad (the Volkswagen Group’s software division), Audi’s models are likely to face the same fate as Porsche’s and arrive only next year.
Even so, it is still possible we will see them this year in final form, ahead of their 2024 launch.
Small changes across the range
Across Audi’s remaining models - A5, A6, e-tron GT, among others - there will be minor updates. These include richer standard equipment and small exterior tweaks.
All of this comes in a year when the “four rings” marque says goodbye to two historic models: the Audi TT and the Audi R8 supercar. We will see what Audi has planned for these names in the future. There are already rumours of a new sports car… 100% electric, of course.
This article is part of the 2023 New Releases Special. Over 100 launches to discover, with support from Millennium bcp.
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