Audi Q3 to debut at Paris

New Audi Q3 at Paris 2010

Audi are taking the Audi Q3 to the Paris Motor Show; dubbed a concept it is very close to production ready. Production of the Audi Q3 will start in Spain in Spring 2011.

We all know Audi are on a quest to fill every available niche. And if they run out of niches Audi are perfectly happy to create a new niche to fill. But for the Audi Q3 we don’t reckon they’ll need to create a niche, but it does look like the Audi A3 is going to go up against the likes of the Nissan Qashqai and the Peugeot 3008 in the crossover niche created by Nissan with the original Qashqai.

We reported that the Audi Q3 was being planned for 2011 back in April 2009 and would be based on the VW Tiguan. Our sources are now telling us that the Audi Q3 will be much more of a crossover than a small SUV. Which makes sense. Despite our reservations about small crossovers trying to be ‘Jack of all trades, Master of none’, one of the most impressive cars we’ve come across this year is the Peugeot 3008.

So if we’re right, and Audi are going the crossover route with the Q3, they’re going to have to do it very well indeed to make a mark against the Qashqai and the 3008.

But Audi are aiming to make the Q3 an upmarket crossover, and although the Audi Q3 will use the underpinnings of the Tiguan to create a little brother for the Q5 and Q7 Audi are likely to add goodies – such as adaptive damping – to make the Q3 more ‘Premium’.

In terms of engines we can expect a choice of petrols from 140bhp to 210bhp and diesels from a 140bhp lump all the way up to a 200bhp+ twin turbo. Which should cover pretty much all the bases and even drag a new demographic of buyer in to the crosshairs of this Audi crossover.

We know that the Audi Q3 is signed off for production in the SEAT plant in Martorell in Spain from Spring 2011. So although the Q3 will come to Paris dubbed a concept it will be pretty close to production ready.

And it will launch just in time to take the fight to the Range Rover Evoque.

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