Audi CEO Döllner, who has also taken on the role of technical development chief, admits that his team has gone through a review of its future product plans in recent years, sharpening its focus on key markets such as China (where it will soon launch a bespoke, locally made version of its new Q6 e-tron) and the United States. Döllner said that some vehicles had been pushed aside by the review, but insisted that the planned entry point – likely to appear in late 2026 or 2027 – has escaped the axe.
When asked directly if Audi had cut vehicles from its plans or simply delayed them, Döllner said, “We did both, really. We stretched the timeframe to give us a little bit more time for these 20 models. I’ve never seen something like this in my career so far. And we discussed some models that we deprioritised, and put emphasis on other ideas.”
Describing the new entry model directly, Döllner said, “It’s A-segment, so typically Volkswagen Golf and A3 size, or a little bit below, perhaps. But this is where we will focus. We won’t have a successor for the A1 and Q2 – certainly not a direct successor. But in confirming the model below the Q4, in the C-segment, that will be our entry car.”
Audi A3 e-tron exclusive images
Our exclusive images showing how the new Audi A3 could look use the company’s 2019 AI:ME concept as their base. That car was a little shorter than the A3 overall, but our illustrations show how easily its dimensions could be stretched to deliver a unique, bespoke EV shape, while not stealing too much of the Q4 e-tron’s SUV image, being between five and 10 centimetres shorter than that vehicle.
