Audi’s electric Defender rival on course for 2027

Audi’s plans for a go-anywhere electric rival to the Land Rover Defender, as scooped by DrivesToday earlier this year, are taking shape ahead of an expected launch by 2027.

Set to be based on off-road-ready architecture supplied by new VW Group brand Scout and built in the US, the unnamed SUV will draw on Audi’s affinity for four-wheel-drive performance while taking design cues and top-rung technology from its more road-focused models in a bid to crack the high-margin luxury 4x4 market.

R&D boss Oliver Hoffmann would not go so far as to officially confirm the new model is incoming but strongly hinted at its commercial viability: “In the US market, there is a big market of rugged SUVs, and we’re looking at how a rugged SUV can look based on Audi technology.

“There’s no decision yet for a kind of car like this. But starting in 2026, we will only launch fully electric cars. That means also if we go for a very progressive car segment concept in the future, it will be battery electric…”

Audi has one eye firmly fixed on the US for its luxury 4x4 EV