Audi News

Audi has dropped the price and beefed up the standard kit for its enticing new compact electric SUVThe Audi Q4 e-tron line-up has been tweaked with the addition of a 150kW entry model, updated interior design, tech enhancements and additional equipment.The new entry-grade Q4 e-tron is offered in traditional SUV wagon and swoopy Sportback form from $71,650, before on-road costs.That's more than $13,000 cheaper than the previous base model.All-wheel drive examples are now up to $24,000 cheaper, starting at $81,650.Crucially for buyers that means all Q4s now slip under the Fringe Benefits Tax exemption threshold, so they are even more enticing when sourced through a novated lease. Buyers will pay no Luxury Car Tax either, with the previous all-wheel drive versions slugged 33 cents per dollar over $90,000.Powered by a single electric motor sending 150kW/350Nm to the rear wheels it carries a 63kWh battery that supports DC fast charging of up to 160kW, delivering a 10 to 80 per cent in what Audi said is “as little as 27 minutes.”19-inch Aero Black alloy wheelsMatrix LED headlightsDigital DRLs (daytime running lights)Heated, auto-dimming and folding exterior mirrorsKeyless entry and startPower tailgate (with gesture control)Alloy roof rails (SUV only)Contrasting paint finish in blackBody colour wing mirror housingsLeather-trimmed steering wheel (with regen paddles)Leather-appointed upholsteryPower-adjustable, heated front seatsThree-zone climate controlAmbient lighting12.8-inch multimedia touchscreen11.9-inch digital driver displayEight-speaker audio (plus subwoofer)Digital radioApple CarPlay / Android AutoThree new exterior colours - Tambora Grey, Plasma Blue and Sage Green - have been added to the Q4 e-tron palette, joining the existing Pebble Grey, Mythos Black and Glacier White, while the interior features brushed aluminium inlays and door sill trims (illuminated at the front) and cooled inductive charging pads for mobile devices..Adaptive cruise controlSide assist (with exit warning and rear cross-traffic assist)Front cross-traffic assistSwerve and turn assistFront emergency brake assistTraffic sign recognition360-degree camera viewAt the same time the all-wheel drive Audi Q4 e-tron quattro features new electric motors claimed to deliver greater range and torque.Overall power output rises to 250kW with peak torque of 134Nm from the front motor and 545Nm at the rear, for claimed 0-100km/h acceleration in 5.4 seconds.A larger 82kWh battery can now accept 185kW fast charging (up from 175 kW) for the same 27 minute 10 to 80 per cent charge claim as the single motor version. Claimed range is 494km for the SUV and 509km for the Sportback.S line exterior package (new bumpers, body colour grille with black mask and matt silver aluminium inlays)20-inch Audi Sport wheelsLeather appointed Sport front seatsBlack headliningStainless steel pedal coversAudi drive selectAugmented reality head-up displayA 12-inch passenger side screen is optional, giving the co-pilot access to navigation, media and entertainment functions. The new Q4 e-tron and Q4 e-tron quattro models are scheduled to hit local showrooms in the first half of 2027 and if you place an order for one of these new models before the end of 2026 Audi is including a six-year/90,000km service plan to sweeten the deal.Announcing the upgraded Q4 e-tron range Audi Australia Director Jeff Mannering said, “These new models see compelling pricing designed to provide customers with an unmatched offering in the premium segment, while still allowing them to take advantage of government EV incentives.”

Two of Audi’s most affordable models are headed for the chopping block in Australia after production ended earlier this year.Audi Australia has confirmed there is only dealer stock remaining of the A1 hatchback and Q2 small SUV. Global production for both vehicles ceased in April 2026.“Once it's gone, it’s gone,” said Australia Australia Managing Director Jeff Mannering to CarsGuide.“There's still some in stock here in Australia, so just need to contact their local dealer because every dealer is in a different scenario,” added Audi Australia PR Manager Claudia Muller.The Audi A1 and Q2 were the German brand’s most affordable models in Australia.In the end only a single 40 TFSI S Line trim of the A1 is now available and it’s currently priced from $51,500, before on-road costs.Then with the Q2 an entry-level 35 TFSI is available from $49,400, before on-roads, as well as a Q2 35 TFSI S Line edition at $50,900, before on-road costs.Once remaining stock of the A1 and Q2 have been sold, the next most affordable Audi in Australia will be the A3 TFSI 100kW hatchback at $54,800, before on-road costs.The original Audi A1 was first revealed in production guise in 2008 and over its lifecycle there have been two generations. The second-generation launched locally in 2019.The A1 is based on the same Volkswagen Group MQB A0 platform as the current Volkswagen Polo.Then the Q2 was revealed in 2016 and launched locally in 2017. Although there have been numerous updates, only one generation of this small SUV has been offered.The Q2 is based on the same Volkswagen Group MQB A1 platform as the Skoda Karoq and outgoing Volkswagen T-Roc, among others.Both the A1 and Q2 formed as entry-level models to the Audi line-up both locally and globally. However, sales have declined over recent years and the German carmaker instead pivoted to other segments where there are more sales to be had.Although Audi is discontinuing two of its most affordable models in Australia, it’s gearing up to globally reveal the new A2 e-tron in November.This new electric hatchback will be the brand’s new entry-level model globally. At this stage there’s no word on whether it will come to Australia.It’s based on a version of the MEB+ platform that underpins the likes of the Volkswagen ID.Polo and ID. Cross, Skoda Epiq and Cupra Raval.Multiple versions of the A2 e-tron will be offered but, depending on the variant, total system outputs are up to 240kW/545Nm and WLTP-claimed range is up to 476km.

Let’s get a couple of things out of the way here.First, we know electric cars are fast, Tesla fans haven’t stopped talking about this since the mid-2010s and there have been countless videos with evidence of the Model S leaving supercharged V8s in the dust at drag strips.Even ‘slow’ EVs feel quick due to their instant application of torque from stand-still. An electric car with a 0-100km/h time of 6 seconds can feel fast because of it.And since I’ve mentioned 0-100km/h, that’s the method we’ll be using to rank which of the electric cars available in Australia is fastest - not their top speed, given you’ll almost never be able to do anything with that.Finally, we are talking about production cars currently available through manufacturers in Australia, so hypercars like the YangWang U9 or anything Rimac is cooking up are off the list.Some of you will be happy to know this means you’re not seeing a photo of the Ferrari Luce here.Conveniently, this means we have five electric cars with a claimed 0-100km/h acceleration figure in under three seconds. Porsche’s frontiering Taycan might soon be on the chopping block according to rumours of an incoming VW model cull, but for now you can still get to 100km/h in a couple of smidgeons over two seconds. That’s if you have almost $300K to spare, given you’ll probably tick one or two boxes on the options list over its $419,000 before on-roads asking price.The Taycan draws power from a 93kWh battery, making 815kW and 1340Nm for all four of its wheels, and even without the Weissach pack removing some weight it’ll manage the run to the tonne in 2.3 seconds.Only second on this list because of alphabetisation, the top-spec Audi e-tron (the Audi RS e-tron GT Performance to give it the proper name) hits 100km/h in a claimed 2.5 seconds, on par with another Porsche.You won’t be surprised to know the e-tron shares a platform with the Taycan, though its most powerful version isn’t quite as vicious - 680kW and 1027Nm draw from a larger 105kWh battery, and it’s not quite as pricey either. A relative bargain at  $309,900 before on-roads, in fact.Tied for second place is this absolute unit, two-and-a-half tonnes of Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen (built in Bratislava, Slovakia, though) capable of hitting 100km/h in 2.5sec thanks to some frankly silly numbers.Its 850kW and 1500Nm outputs are available from even less than the two cars preceding it on this list, $272,100 before on-roads, and the 113kWh battery means the family SUV can travel up to 623km on a single charge, Porsche says.An oil-cooled rear motor, active aero, a drag coefficient of 0.25 and even the ability to tow 3500kg make the Cayenne Turbo a one-of-a-kind family car.England’s Lotus has ruffled feathers by ‘going electric’, likely something that would indeed upset founder Colin Chapman, but staying relevant in the 2020s probably required moving on from popping superchargers on Toyota engines and using them to power (extremely dynamic) cars about the size of shopping trolleys.Lotus claims the top-spec version of the Emeya, a $259,990 four-door grand-tourer with 675kW and 985Nm up its sleeve, can hit 100km/h in a very specific 2.75 seconds. It does weigh around 2.5 tonnes, so imagine how quick it would be if you took the classic quote often attributed to Chapman “simplify and add lightness” to the Emeya.Apologies to anyone hoping for variety in this list - we’ve got three Volkswagen Group cars and two Lotuses with essentially the same specifications.The Lotus Eletre R is two tenths slower to 100km/h according to the manufacturer, but the SUV uses the same 675kW/985Nm dual-motor drivetrain and 112kWh battery, it’s just a little heavier thanks to its SUV shape.It’s also a little more expensive, asking $20,000 more at $279,990 before on-roads.

Audi's incoming budget-friendly EV is getting closer.The Audi A2 e-tron is an electric compact SUV scheduled to launch in Europe by November.It could be the brand’s cheapest EV on sale to date. The A2 e-tron will provide competition for other small electric rivals, the recently-launched Volkswagen ID.3 Neo and the Volvo EX-30.Audi is eager for its new model to follow in the efficient footsteps of its previous A2 practical hatchback.The A2 powered by a 1.2 turbo-diesel engine, offering a sensational 3.0L/100km fuel efficiency. The Audi A2 e-tron will be powered by a single electric motor, with three different power outputs.The base car produces 140kW, while up-spec models make 170kW/350Nm or 240kW/545Nm. Audi claims the A2 e-tron will be its most efficient model on sale.It has a preliminary energy rating of 12.8kWh/100km, according to WLTP standards.This means its 61kWh battery should provide a total driving range of up to 476km - a strong figure compared to other small car rivals. Audi says an improved drag coefficient of 0.24 has boosted energy efficiency by 0.9kWh/100km. The car can DC fast charge at 105kW, so a 10 to 80 per cent fill-up takes 26 minutes. It also offers bi-directional charging, meaning it can power external devices and act as a home power supply. There is no official word on the A2 e-tron launching in Australia. It could complement Audi’s Australian lineup as a more affordable EV offering, but it might be subject to hefty shipping costs from Europe. The A2 e-tron’s Europe by November launch date places any potential Australian introduction in 2027.Audi Australia has been contacted for comment to see if the local branch is interested in the car, and when it might launch Down Under.

Audi has revealed the Q9 as its largest and most luxurious SUV yet.A brand new nameplate to sit above the previous Q7 and Q8 flagships, the Q9 is by far the biggest Audi ever built measuring in at over 5300mm long.Not only is it designed to take on (and even out-size) Audi’s traditional rivals, like the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS, but this new offering will help the brand fend off much-hyped large SUV offerings from China like the Zeekr 9X and IM LS9, both of which are due in Australia before long.The Q9 will enter new price territory for Audi’s combustion SUV range, with price tags starting at the equivalent of A$177,792 in Europe. For context the current Q8 TDI starts from $144,400 and the Q7 starts from $108,742.The Q9 will be offered with one powertrain at its European launch, a 3.0-litre diesel V6 with the brand’s MHEV Plus technology. This system uses 48-volt electrics to drive an electric motor mounted to the eight-speed automatic transmission which can provide up to 18kW of additional power. It will be available in two states of tune, either 220kW/630Nm or 180kW/500Nm.The engine also features an electrically-powered compressor which reduces turbo-lag. Audi says this combination will consume between 7.4L/100km to 8.0L/100km.The range-topping SQ9 will join the range at a later date, powered by an updated version of the brand’s 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbo petrol engine, producing 440kW/800Nm. The all-wheel drive system on both cars is a rear-biased system, with the SQ9 also being equipped with wider tyres at the rear for additional grip. It will also come with an electronically-controlled rear differential lock.A petrol turbo V6 will also complement the line-up, at least in the USA, although specs are yet to be revealed. All derivatives are expected to be able to tow 3500kg depending on local regulations. On the outside, the Q9’s design features an enormous grille, which can be optionally equipped with LED fittings. The headlights, DRLs and tail light fittings feature curved LED tech, while the expansive body panels are designed to enhance the car’s presence and to “emphasise a sense of calm and refinement” with a “clean aesthetic”.It can optionally be equipped with a much more aggressive-looking S Line trim package and up to 23-inch alloy wheels. The wheels are so big the brand has also included acoustic deadening inside them to reduce road noise.Inside, the Q9 is offered either with six or seven-seat layouts, with fully electric control of all seats, and an entry mode, which automatically folds the second row out of the way for third-row passengers. In addition, the Q9 is the first Audi to be offered with automatic doors which can detect obstacles.A panoramic sunroof and ambient interior lighting is standard, and there are noise-cancelling features in the sound system.Other standard features include the brand’s signature Matrix LED headlights and automated high-beam feature, dual 12.3-inch screens for the digital instrument cluster and passenger screen, a 14.5-inch central multimedia touchscreen, dual wireless phone chargers, and several seat trim options ranging from synthetic leather and suede through to Nappa leather with extensive customisation. An Audi Australia spokesperson confirmed to CarsGuide the local division is closely evaluating the flagship Q9.“Given Australia’s ongoing appetite for SUVs, we would consider any future model which is the right fit in terms of customer demand," said the spokesperson.Further updates on the Q9 for Australia have been promised at a later date.The brand is 11.2 per cent down in the first half of 2026. It is faring the worst out of the German ‘big three’ despite a surge of new model launches in the last 12 months with BMW down 8.0 per cent, and Mercedes holding steady with a small 1.7 per cent decline.The Q9 is an obvious tilt at the US market, with Cadillac Escalade-rivalling dimensions and will serve as a spiritual successor to the recently-discontinued A8 large sedan.The new enormous luxury SUV arrives as Audi’s parent company Volkswagen faces deep profitability troubles and a need to reduce its manufacturing footprint and model range to compete with the rise of Chinese rivals the world over.

Facing intense competition from emerging Chinese brands, the impact of US tariffs and increased manufacturing costs in Europe, the Volkswagen Group’s current financial trauma is well documented with a minimum cut of 50,000 jobs (likely 100,000) by 2030 and closure of four production plants in Germany already flagged.And now, as part of its Future Plan presentation, the Group’s executive board has said, “The (group) model lineup will be gradually concentrated on the most attractive market segments and streamlined by up to 50 percent; offering complexity will be reduced by up to 75 percent.”Which means key models currently sold by brands including Audi, Cupra, Skoda, Porsche and VW are set for early discontinuation, the latest by 2030, with the number of available options slashed by three quarters and annual production capacity dropping from 10 to nine million vehicles.Question is, which models are headed for the chop first and German publication Bild believes it has the inside scoop with a "concrete list” of 10 cars headed for extinction.Here’s the Bild VW Group product hit list.Audi: The Q5 Sportback and Q6 e-tron Sportback are unlikely to be replaced. And interestingly, even though the Porsche Taycan is marked for extinction (see below) its Audi e-tron GT twin under the skin isn’t.Cupra: The list marks the Cupra Raval (which hasn't even launched in Australia yet) as headed for the exit after a single generation.Porsche: In unsurprising news the underperforming Taycan is set to retire after the current model reaches the end of the road and the internal-combustion (ICE) Cayenne Coupe is gawn.Sadly for sports car devotees Bild’s mail is that even though Porsche’s ‘strategic realignment’ from late last year pointed to internal combustion power for flagship versions of the 718 Boxster and Cayman, that plan is kaput with the roadster and coupe again lining up as EV only.Skoda: The Bild report puts the Skoda Fabia small car on the chopping block, although there’s no mention of its closely-related Seat Ibiza and VW Polo siblings.Volkswagen: The Jetta compact sedan, now primarily sold in North America, and the Taos crossover-style SUV, currently offered in global markets including North America, South America and Russia (and marketed as the Tharu in China) look unlikely to make a next-gen iteration.No mention of Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini or Seat although Bentley has already shelved its plan to go pure-electric by 2035 and Lambo’s put production of its first EV firmly on the back burner.Bild estimates VW Group savings of up to €6.5 billion (~$10.7 billion) by 2031 by finishing up these 10 cars but even that’s far from a 50 per cent reduction in the across-the-board model count.Stay tuned for more VW Group model obituaries surely coming soon.

Volkswagen is about to make some big changes that could have knock-on effects for Australia.The brand is planning to cut up to half of its line-up across its brands.Auto News reports as many as 75 models could be ditched, which would reduce VW Group’s capacity from 10 million vehicle to nine million."The global situation has continued to deteriorate over the past twelve months," Volkswagen Chief Executive Officer Oliver Blume said. "That is why we are ​acting now."There is no news yet on what models will be under threat, but Australia is unlikely to be immune from these changes.A spokesperson for Volkswagen Australia said this news will have no immediate impact on the local branch."As a next step, we will work closely with our headquarters in Wolfsburg, Germany, to assess what adjustments – if any – may be needed at the local level," they said.Audi, Bentley, Cupra, Lamborghini, Porsche and Skoda, as well as Volkswagen, all fall under the VW Group name, and the brand has a significant presence in Australia. VW alone has amassed more than 12,000 sales in Australia, but that figure represents a 16. per cent decline compared to June 2025.VW Group sales are declining globally as the brand grapples with soaring costs, including US tariffs, and increasingly competitive Chinese competition. Its profit margins were sliced in half between 2021 and 2025, according to Auto News.  Auto News is also reporting four German VW Group factories are in danger of seeing their doors closed for good, which are plants in Hanover, Emden, Zwickau and Neckarsulm.The brand is also planning to cut up to 100,000 jobs as part of its down-sizing. The proposed moves were subject to heavy protests from workers late last week.VW Group has deepened its ties to China recently, with CEO Blume suggesting the brand could export its China-only models to other markets. This could help cut down the costs for the brand to import cars to Australia. European-built models are often more expensive to produce and import than ones from China.

Audi has confirmed that it is working on cheaper and faster versions of its recently facelifted 2026 Audi Q4 e-tron, with new additions primed to arrive on sale within 12 months.According to Audi product planner Herman Verbeek, speaking to Carsguide, the upgraded all-electric compact SUV will be continually improved from its introduction in Australia late this year as part of plans to extend the model's lifespan into 2030.Originally, the Q4 e-tron was supposed to have been replaced around 2028 by an all-new model that will sit on the Volkswagen Group's Scalable Systems Platform (SSP), which has now been pushed back until early 2030 over software challenges within VW's in-house Cariad division.Verbeek said the first model to arrive is likely to be a more powerful version of the Q4 e-tron that has been designed to sit above the current 250kW quattro performance.The product boss didn't disclose how much power the flagship Q4 would produce, but said that the new model wouldn't be badged either an S Q4 e-tron or RS Q4 e-tron, as neither model would offer the "agility or driving dynamics worthy of an Audi Sport model".The extra power will come from existing hardware, with the newly released APP 350 (up to 170kW) and existing APP 550 motor (210kW) will both be wound up to produce more power, while the front-mounted asynchronous electric motor (ASM) will have total output boosted from 80kW to more than 110kW.More good news for those on the hunt for a more affordable take on the Q4 e-tron, Verbeek said his team were working on two new batteries that would replace the current car's nickel-manganese cobalt (NMC) batteries, with today's entry 59kWh power pack set to be superseded by a new lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery that will be shared with the new inbound A2 e-tron crossover that will be released later this year.The cheaper LFP battery, which is expected to bring a 30 per cent cost saving over NMC cells, was originally destined to arrive earlier in the Q4 but was pushed back as Audi waited for the more energy-dense chemistry being developed by the VW Group's partner. The reason for the delay was that Audi was keen for the entry Q4 e-tron to weigh less than 2000kg, as some European underground car parks have strict weight limits that forbid any cars heavier than two tonnes from entering.The same weight limit is also applied to automated stackers, car lifts, ramps and car turntables.Verbeek did not confirm when the new batteries would arrive, but the senior Audi boss did rule out upgrading the current car's 400-volt electrics to 800-volts over the huge cost."We can't do it, we'd need to change everything, the battery, motors, inverters, control units, even the air conditioner condenser."The Q4 e-tron's MEB platform means current charging rates are limited at between 160-185kW, a long way off the 320kW the latest similarly-sized all-electric Mercedes GLA will be capable of, with the Audi taking around 27 minutes for a 10 to 80 per cent top-up, around 5 minutes slower than rivals with the more powerful electrics.

The latest all-new third-generation Audi Q7 large SUV underwent a dramatic redesign ahead of its official launch earlier this month.Speaking to Carsguide, a source working closely with the German car-maker confirmed that the Q7 was originally set to adopt wing grip door releases in place of conventional door handles, but that decision was reversed at the very last minute over safety concerns.In what's thought to be an unprecedented move on a car that was believed to have already been homologated for production, the flush, power-operated wing grip or shark-fin style exterior door releases were dropped following new regulations being rolled out next year in China, with senior Audi execs expecting a similar response from European legislators.Attracting designers and engineers to embrace hidden, pop-out or wing grip power-operated door releases was the intense pressure to create the most aerodynamic shape possible, in a bid to maximise an EV's range, or boost efficiency.According to reports, by deleting traditional door pulls, on average a vehicle's drag coefficient falls by up to 0.01Cd, which can equate to more than 3km of range under the European WLTP test cycle.The smoother, cleaner, unbroken lines are also seen as another benefit by designers, but now Audi has abandoned them with wider implications for the Volkswagen Group as a whole.Triggering the rethink has been multiple high-profile accidents that saw either occupants trapped within a car with failing door releases, or first responders struggling to gain access to a cabin in the event of an accident or fire.From January 1, 2027, new Chinese regulations dictate that power-operated door handles will now have to include a physical release for the first time, plus a range of other measures designed to boost safety.Since the new regs require an easily grabbable mechanical door release both inside and out, early indications hinting many Chinese brands are abandoning power-operated releases altogether, rather than adapting or evolving current designs, signalling a return to proper door handles.With a growing debate on the safety of electronic door releases already underway in regions like Europe, it's been hotly tipped that EU regulators and crash safety body EuroNCAP are also racing to implement new measures, or roll out new legislation.If that's not enough to put the likes of Audi off, last year the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced it too was investigating Tesla's pop-out door releases over safety concerns.A change in the rules could be costly for car-makers like Volvo who have recently gone ahead and introduced vehicles with the tech.To help circumvent the new rules, the Swedish brand introduced a mechanical override that incorporated a physical release.Should a crash or power failure occur, there's an internal power source that ensures the door release still operates.As well as safety, some owners have also reported reliability issues with power-operated door handles prone to fail in icy conditions when the mechanism can freeze over.The Audi insider did not state how much money it would cost to re-engineer the Q7 doors at such a late stage of development, but it's thought adding back conventional door handles will have cost the car-maker many millions of dollars, but will still be only a fraction of the cost of having to reintroduce them later on during the large SUV's model life.It's thought that instead of reverting to a set of conventional door handles, the new door levers still operate via a power-operated catches, as the large BMW X5-rival adopts some Rolls-Royce-style automatic doors that swing open via a touch of a button on the key fob.

Fuel prices in Australia are about to rise again. The federal government has announced the Fuel Excise cut will continue at a lower rate until the start of August.The original 50 per cent discount equated to 32 cents per litre off fuel prices, but this was due to end on the 30th of June.The government will now extend a smaller discount of 16 cents per litre until the 2nd of August. This announcement means fuel prices will increase across the board in addition to any other fluctuations from external factors. A 16 cent increase will see diesel fuel prices increase back above the $2 per litre mark across the country, having been more than $3 per litre at times over the past few months. The diesel-powered Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux utes remain two of the best-selling cars in Australia.E10 petrol will also creep up towards the $2 point as a result of this decreased discount. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has not ruled out further extensions to the Fuel Excise discount in the future if circumstances require it. "Of course we do live in a volatile world. Were there to be a massive global shock, my government will always respond,” Mr Albanese told Sky News. The news comes as rumours of an end to the Iran war heat up, with the conflict being the key driver of high fuel prices. There is still no freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz - the key gateway for many ships carrying oil globally.It has seen electric vehicle uptake in Australia soar, with budget Chinese options like the Jaecoo J5 EV and Geely EX5 growing by more than 200 per cent between May and June 2026. Tesla experienced a record-breaking month in May, shifting 6433 units - its highest sales number since the Electric Vehicle Council started collecting data. The government will also increase the Heavy Vehicle Road User Charge to 16 cents per litre, with it being free since April.