Audi’s “Q” lineup has exploded in recent years in an attempt to quench the insatiable thirst customers have for SUVs. The Four Rings have everything from a tiny Q2 to a not-so-tiny Q8, plus the duo of E-Tron electric SUVs. Later this year, the family of high-riding models from Ingolstadt will further grow with the addition of the Q4 E-Tron and this – the Q5 Sportback.
A term previous reserved to hatchbacks and the bigger liftbacks, Sportback entered the SUV segment with the Q3 Sportback and the E-Tron Sportback. The next sports utility vehicle in line to get the swoopy roof is the recently facelifted Q5. Our good pals at Kolesa have envisioned the somewhat predictable design of the Q5 Sportback by beating the roofline with the coupe stick.
While beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, that’s not stopping us from saying the new take on the Q5 recipe doesn’t necessarily translate into a prettier SUV. There are also the drawbacks that need to be taken into consideration, such as less rear headroom and a smaller cargo area. In addition, Audi usually wants more money for a Sportback SUV model compared to the conventionally styled model.
The Russian artists behind this rendering used an official image of the 2021 Q5 facelift in the confusingly named “40 TDI” specification and dressed in Mamba Green. We’re expecting the new entry in Audi’s ever-growing SUV lineup to be joined by an SQ5, either from day one or a bit later in the life cycle. With a company spokesman suggesting an RS Q5 could happen, we don’t see a reason why the Sportback wouldn’t get the inline-five engine. After all, Audi does sell an RS Q3 Sportback.
https://cdn.motor1.com/images/mgl/A6rJV/s1/2021-audi-q5-sportback-rendering-based-on-2021-q5-facelift.jpg 2x" src="https://cdn.motor1.com/images/mgl/A6rJV/s3/2021-audi-q5-sportback-rendering-based-on-2021-q5-facelift.jpg"/>The Q5 Sportback and the aforementioned Q4 E-Tron do not represent the end of Audi’s SUV expansion as the recently introduced Q4 Sportback E-Tron concept will morph into a namesake production model in 2021.
As if that wasn't enough, there are even reports of a new flagship SUV dubbed "Q9" to go after the likes of Mercedes GLS and BMW X7. Audi did trademark Q9 back in 2013 and said a couple of years ago it had "so many ideas" for a range-topping SUV. In other words, it could very well happen.
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