Audi unveils Q9, its largest SUV ever

Audi on Wednesday unveiled the Q9, its first full-size SUV and the largest vehicle in the brand's history.

The Q9 sits at the top of Audi's SUV lineup and was designed with generous proportions and a spacious cabin to serve a wide range of customers — from families to business travelers.

The standard configuration seats seven, while an optional six-seat layout offers a more open feel and a premium ride experience. The second row features independent power-adjustable seats that deliver business-class levels of comfort, and the third row was engineered with long-distance travel in mind.

Audi also introduced automatic doors on the Q9 for the first time in the brand's history, improving ease of entry and exit. The doors use sensors to detect the surrounding environment and operate safely. The vehicle also features the widest panoramic sunroof ever fitted to an Audi, giving all passengers a greater sense of openness.

The Q9's upright body proportions, long silhouette and wide stance project a presence that is both powerful and elegant, befitting its role as the flagship of Audi's SUV portfolio.

The front end reinterprets Audi's signature singleframe grille in a contemporary form for a bold first impression. At the rear, the world's first curved digital OLED lights showcase Audi's lighting technology — integrated seamlessly into the body design, they deliver strong visibility and safety.

Lighting is a defining feature of the Q9. Alongside the curved digital OLED rear lights, the vehicle is equipped with digital matrix LED headlights that enable intuitive communication between the driver and other road users.

The Q9 also offers an enhanced digital experience inside the cabin. An infotainment system built around a panoramic display, a natural-language voice assistant and AI-powered information services make the driving experience more intuitive and convenient, while a suite of advanced driver-assistance systems supports safe and confident driving.

"'Progress through technology' will increasingly be defined by the in-vehicle experience," said Gernot Döllner, chairman of the Audi AG board of management. "The car is evolving beyond a means of transport into a mobile living space for our customers. The Audi Q9, our new portfolio flagship, embodies this vision and clearly points the way forward for Audi."

Audi has been broadening its lineup this year with a series of competitive new models, including updated versions of the premium Q5 and Q5 Sportback SUVs.