Way back in January of this year, the electrically-propelled Audi RS Q e-tron won the Dakar Rally, becoming the first EV to do so. It was the third and final attempt that the German automaker was willing to make, and now it looks like Ingolstadt could be preparing to commemorate the achievement with a special-edition hardcore version of the Audi Q6 e-tron. Spies in Germany spotted this dramatically taller and wider prototype, apparently based on the Sportback model, and it appears to be close to the finished product, whatever that finished product might be.
The Q6 e-tron Sportback is expected to be unveiled before the end of the year, and this could be no more than a promotional device or it could be as significant as a new production-bound trim. Either way, the attention-grabbing looks of this prototype will get people talking.
This Can’t Be A Race Car
We see Toyo Open Country M/T tires, enormous fender flares, and some missing elements in the rear bumper, but the lifted Q6 also has conventional LED lighting, a subtle lip spoiler with a third brake light, and a roof rack that seems far too fragile for the demands of a true yump monster like the RS Q e-tron. Peering into the cabin, we also see a projector for a head-up display and a large display stretching across the dash. The seats, safety belts, and rearview mirrors are all conventional, too, so we doubt this is another off-road racing prototype.
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As we touched on, Audi has no intention of returning to the Dakar Rally next year because all of its motorsport minds are focusing on a completely different avenue of automotive competition, namely an approaching debut in the world of F1 as Audi takes over the Sauber Formula 1 team. Therefore, it seems more and more unlikely that we’re looking at a racing prototype. This is likely to be either a one-off concept that will help the production version of the Q6 e-tron Sportback make its grand debut or a new low-volume variant that will be sold alongside the regular electric crossover.
If Headed To Production, It’ll Be Powerful
With such aggressive looks, we suspect that this vehicle, if headed to production, would be offered with a higher-performing powertrain than the regular Q6 e-tron. One potentially smart move would be to fit the 510-horsepower setup from the SQ6 e-tron. Then again, cars like the Huracán Sterrato and 911 Dakar prove that you don’t need to have the most horsepower in the range to enjoy sliding a car on dirt or snow.
Opportunities to celebrate a victory as prominent as the Dakar Rally don’t come around too often, and we hope Audi is preparing to seize the moment with a low-volume special edition, but it’s worth keeping in mind that even if this does reach production, there’s no guarantee it’ll reach the American market. If not, at least the Mustang Mach-E Rally and Ioniq 5 XRT are attainable. We’ll keep you updated as more information on this wacky Audi becomes available.
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