Marc Gene Surprises Man Waiting For Bus With Ride In Alfa Romeo...

Meet Flo Rida’s Gold Chrome Bugatti Veyron

Jaguar Land Rover Aims For One Million Annual Sales
Maserati MC12 For Sale On eBay: $1.6 Million (Or Nearest Offer)

Aston Vanquish Volante, Model S Battery Swap, GT-R NISMO...

McLaren To Show Le Mans Heritage Cars At Goodwood Festival Of...
Mazda To Unveil New Car Next Week, Stream Reveal On Xbox Live

2014 BMW i3 Spy Shots

2013 Tesla Model S Recalled Due To Faulty Seat Installation

Audi Confirms Its BMW X6 Rival, The Q6

Kurt Ernst

2 3,497 views Dec 8, 2011

2014 Audi Q6 test-mule spy shots

HI-RES GALLERY: 2014 Audi Q6 test-mule spy shots

Related Photo Galleries

See more photos »

Walter de’ Silva, head of design at Volkswagen Group, has confirmed that plans for a BMW X6-fighting crossover from Audi have been approved. While no date has been set for production or release, the news confirms rumors of a premium midsize SUV / crossover that media outlets have been referring to as the Audi Q6.

During a conversation with Automotive News Europe (subscription required), de’ Silva stated, “We will definitely launch a sportier crossover in between the Q7 and Q5.” An Audi Q6 would have the BMW X6 directly in its sights, and would hope to pirate sales away from its oddly-styled German rival.

In Europe, the BMW X6 was launched as a premium SUV in 2008. Based on the BMW X5 SUV, but styled with an aggressively swooping roofline, the X6 climbed to fifth in European premium SUV sales in 2011, beating the Audi Q7 in units sold.

The X6 hasn't fared quite as well in North America, since its sporty styling dramatically impacts its utility. Through November, BMW has managed to sell just 5,431 X6 models in North America, making it the brand's third-least-popular model on these shores.

Audi may also add a small SUV to its lineup, which would fit between the Q5 and Q3. Such a model would combat the upcoming BMW X4, a small SUV set to launch in 2014.