Hot! Audi: What's Next?

[Gor134]

Reallly? Rs5 won’t be hybrid

RS5 ICE might be a US-only model. TBD, it was reported on German Motor Talk forum that US may get exclusive RS5 ICE + S5 2.9tt

 

[advantage20]

 

[leylandi]

Audi delivers 1.6 million vehicles in 2025 as strong fourth quarter ends challenging year

Audi delivered more than 1.6 million vehicles to customers worldwide in 2025, a decline of approximately 3 percent to the previous year. However, deliveries rose year over year in every month starting in September, signaling an upward trend. The order books support the trend: last year, orders increased over 13 percent compared with 2024, orders for electric models jumped around 58 percent. Deliveries of all-electric models reached a record of over 223,000 units in 2025, approximately 36 percent.

Geopolitical and economic challenges continued to pressure delivery figures in 2025. An intense competitive environment in China and U.S. tariff policy affected the entire automotive sector and shaped global consumer behavior. Solid performances in Europe, Germany, as well as overseas and emerging markets could not fully offset these factors.

“Our product initiative is hitting the road, and deliveries are gradually reflecting this. In 2025, we were mainly able to achieve increases for electric models,” says Marco Schubert, Member of the Board of Management for Sales and Marketing. “This shows that customers are eagerly adopting electric models like the Audi A6 e-tron and Audi Q6 e-tron. We want to continue this upward trajectory in 2026. Thanks to our new corporate strategy, our dealer partners, and our international teams we are perfectly positioned to do so.”

Audi recorded more than 1.6 million deliveries last year, including over 223,000 electric vehicles (+36 percent). The two new electric vehicles (EVs), the Audi A6 e-tron (37,000 units) and the Audi Q6 e-tron (84,000 units), especially drove demand. Audi achieved delivery records in markets including Canada, Poland, Turkey, and Denmark.

Audi Sport delivered around 36,000 high-performance vehicles (–13 percent) to customers in 2025. The decline is due to reduced availability resulting from model changeover.

Audi brand deliveries	Cumulative
2025	2024	Change vs. 2024
World	1,623,551	1,671,218	–2.9 %
Germany	206,290	198,342	+4.0 %
North America1	202,143	230,220	–12.2%
China2	617,514	649,900	–5.0 %
Europe (excluding Germany)	464,046	466,209	–0.5 %
Overseas and emerging markets	133,558	126,547	+5.5%

 

[Gor134]

https://www.topgear.com/car-news/interview/audis-creative-boss-big-screens-are-not-best-experience

"Tactility is very important. Big screens are not the best experience. It's technology for the sake of technology. For us, technology is there when you need it, not there when not needed. This mix of digital and analogue, the tactility, the perception of quality that is so important for Audi, the precision, the metal parts… we talk about the Audi click. These made Audi what Audi is."

Lots of talk.. let's see it translate to the cars.

 

[Design FIRST]

https://www.topgear.com/car-news/interview/audis-creative-boss-big-screens-are-not-best-experience

Lots of talk.. let's see it translate to the cars.

Audi needs to seriously deliver on the upcoming "Radical Next" design-themed vehicles. Design wise, the brand has become milquetoast.

 

[Design FIRST]

As found on the autoevolution.com website:

An independent design team's interpretation of a "Radical Next" future upper executive segment sedan. Of course overly stylized, but with some interesting elements nonetheless.

 

[AbsoluteUnit]

As found on the autoevolution.com website:

An independent design team's interpretation of a "Radical Next" future upper executive segment sedan. Of course overly stylized, but with some interesting elements nonetheless.

Auto evolution just posts random concept art from people online. Don't take much stock in it

 

[Grimlock Dinobot]

As found on the autoevolution.com website:

An independent design team's interpretation of a "Radical Next" future upper executive segment sedan. Of course overly stylized, but with some interesting elements nonetheless.

You can see elements of the design that have been interpreted like the black bumper line and C-pilar

 

[klier]

As found on the autoevolution.com website:

An independent design team's interpretation of a "Radical Next" future upper executive segment sedan. Of course overly stylized, but with some interesting elements nonetheless.

Stop the f#cking AI!!!

 

[Design FIRST]

Stop the f#cking AI!!!

AI assisted rather than full textprompt A1 mode, I suspect.

In essence, AI is here to stay in supplementing the design of automobiles. The conversion of human-created hand sketches into more papable, reality near design studies. In this particular sense, AI could actually be a conducive element in the creative process, provided that it is implemented as an enhancement rather than a replacement.

 

[SKY]

If the AI can design a better lookin Audi than Audi itself, we have a problem...

Audi needs to go back to those bullet-shaped sedans, with clean lines. The TT Concept is a step in the right direction. But a brand that has not presented a great looking car in over 10 years has ZERO equity IMO.

So no faith at all in Audi until proven wrong by the new design direction.

 

[Serpens]

AI assisted rather than full textprompt A1 mode, I suspect.

In essence, AI is here to stay in supplementing the design of automobiles. The conversion of human-created hand sketches into more papable, reality near design studies. In this particular sense, AI could actually be a conducive element in the creative process, provided that it is implemented as an enhancement rather than a replacement.

No one is debating that. The complaint is that the AI slop being posted here has no actual connection to the manufacturer. It's just bottom-tier content on this forum and signals nothing about the future of the automaker.

 

[Design FIRST]

The complaint is that the AI slop being posted here has no actual connection to the manufacturer. It's just bottom-tier content on this forum and signals nothing about the future of the automaker.

To be fair, maybe it should be considered that perhaps...just perhaps...these posters of the images may have participated in internships with manufacturer design departments. Not at all uncommon, although I could not say whether this was the case with that Audi concept image.

 

[leylandi]

I am against sharing AI-related content here. A separate section should be created for personal design work. Brand innovation topics should contain real news and real photos.

 

[martinbo]

Stop the AI drivel rot. It's IRRELEVANT. How hard can it be to discern what the difference is between what's genuinly next for a car maker and what's just weak and lazy dreaming.

 

[Design FIRST]

A remnant of the Marc Lichte-supervised design era. Although maybe tweaked a bit by the recently arrived Fraschetta & Co. crew.

IMHO rather attractive for a car of it's segment and the renderings may be quite close, judging by prototype footage. Not "Radical Next" though.

 

[Gor134]

another flop

 

[Design FIRST]

another flop

Relative.

IMHO, it should do well in the Scandanavian countries and the Netherlands. Perhaps the U.K. as well. The German home market remains a big question mark due to the currently reeling economy. China ? Competent homegrown competition simply too fierce. North America ? Not a target market in the first place and there is evidence that Audi AG is at least contemplating a "decoupling process" in favor of new markets. India is currently the "Big Buzz".

 

[Esp5]

A remnant of the Marc Lichte-supervised design era. Although maybe tweaked a bit by the recently arrived Fraschetta & Co. crew.

IMHO rather attractive for a car of it's segment and the renderings may be quite close, judging by prototype footage. Not "Radical Next" though.

This one seems more closer to the real thing to me, more funky looking

Audi's building a new small hatchback, and it'll reprise a beloved name | Autocar

New A2 E-tron will indirectly replace A1 and Q2, using Volkswagen ID 3 underpinnings

www.autocar.co.uk

 

[Design FIRST]

This one seems more closer to the real thing to me, more funky looking

Audi's building a new small hatchback, and it'll reprise a beloved name | Autocar

New A2 E-tron will indirectly replace A1 and Q2, using Volkswagen ID 3 underpinnings

www.autocar.co.uk

I'm always very skeptical regarding renderings appearing in Autocar. I seem to perceive them as being the most inaccurate of those appearing in automotive publications.