Now that Audi has announced that the Q5 is set to join the Audi Q7 as the brand’s second model in the sport utility vehicle (SUV) segment, the speculation has begun. The word on the street is that the Q5, should start to arrive at showrooms in mid October. Billed as a soft-roader, the new crossover design should fit nicely in the Audi lineup. From the A3 hatchback wagon to the A7 SUV, Audi will have every base covered. I know one thing, I hope to be one of the first to test drive this new crossover.The Q5 is being promoted as a sporty alternative to its direct rivals the BMW X3 and the Mercedes’ upcoming GLK-Class. With the success of the crossover market in the United States, the exciting addition of the Q5 should prove to be the perfect move for Audi. The Q5 will also be one of the most important products that Audi added to its model line up in. Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG believes that introduction of the Audi Q5 will take Audi a big step closer to reaching vehicle sales of 1.4 million per year, a target that they hope to reach by 2015.

I agree with executives from Audi, the Q5 should match and even exceed X3 sales. The Q5 is also Audi’s most serious attempt to date to erode BMW’s luxury car sales supremacy by attacking the heart of BMW, the 3-Series. By targeting BMW, Audi believes that they will be able to gain and maintain an important foothold in the most important car market. With Audi’s Q7 proving to be a tad too expensive, officials have been keen to release the mid-level Q5 to help spur sales in the world’s biggest car market. The new Smaller SUV was designed specifically for the US. With all major luxury auto makers offering smaller, more economically priced vehicles, Audi, had no choice but add the Q5 to the marketplace. Even knowing the importance of having a vehicle at this price point, they never rushed the vehicle into production. They took their time in designing and testing the Q5 to make sure that it had all the elements necessary for success in America.

The exterior of the Q5 is sleek breaks away from the normal crossover designs. When looking at photos of the Q5, you know right away it is pure Audi with its Distinctive sloping Audi nose. Sitting low to the ground the sleek lines of the roof accentuate the feeling of motion, even when Q5 a standing still. As far as manufacturing goes, the Q5 sits on a platform featuring elements from the A4 and A6. By using the existing platform, the Q5 so will be able to use the important V8 power plants which are essential for the US market. To achieve this design, the engines in this SUV will be mounted lengthwise, not transversely. The Q5 will also feature the new seven-speed S-Tronic which has been updated to work in conjunction with the latest generation Quattro four-wheel-drive systems. It will offer drivers lightning fast, virtually seamless gear changes.

The initial quality of the Q5 is unquestioned, as the first generation of vehicles will be produced at Audi’s plant in Ingolstadt. There has been some talk that Audi is looking at the possibility of moving some future production to China, which would mean lower production costs and hopefully no decrease in quality. Those talks have yet to be verified.

Audi has suggested that they will release a more complete profile of the Q5 sometime in May. As I look to the future, the next couple of months will be critical for Audi. With October a baseball season away, the only thing that may stop the success of the Q5 is the questionable American economy. They may have targeted October for the release the Q5 but it may not be so set in stone. Audi has been very conservative in all aspects in the creation of the Q5. With that being the case and the US economy on the brink of a recession, October may come and go and we will still be waiting for the Q5 to hit the roads.

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