Audi aims for us market share in ambitious off-road strategy

audi is gunning for a bigger slice of the lucrative US SUV market with an aggressive new off-road strategy. The German automaker's CEO, Gernot Döllner, says the US is no monolith - what works in California won't necessarily fly in Nebraska. To prove his point, audi is evaluating bringing its rugged Q6 E-Tron Off-Road Concept to the States.

Audi's trailblazing approach

audi's thinking is refreshingly simple: take a proven model, make it tougher, and voila! The Q6 E-Tron Off-Road Concept showed the way last year, packing an extra 16 cm of height and 25 cm of width over the standard Q6. By adapting a winner for Europe and other markets, Audi aimed to create a beast that defies limits.

Interestingly, Audi may have drawn inspiration from Bentley, its upscale sibling that shares a platform. This could explain the Q6 concept's resemblance to the rugged Bentayga off-roader. The idea is to play to Audi's strengths without taking on the entrenched leaders in the US 4x4 market.

So, what's the plan? Increase ground clearance, beef up the suspension, and slap on more robust tires. It's a low-risk, high-reward strategy that could propel Audi into a top-tier SUV contender in the States.