Audi Q6 E-Tron 2026 News

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.

Why Audi says its sales model will keep it ahead of new rivals

Audi has added its 'Sportback' coupe bodystyle to its Q6 e-tron and SQ6 e-tron electric SUV line-up, which the brand says offers more than just sleeker looks.