This in mind, the Q5 should have substantial "cool factor", thanks first to Audi's bold new styling direction, which in the new CUV's case should include a tall grille with vertical strakes, narrow,
slit-like head- and tail-lamps, and sufficient chrome trim. The vehicle's interior should also raise the level of luxury and refinement in the compact crossover class a degree or two - something BMW's X3 and Land Rover's Freelander have been criticized for.
Due to its compact nature and Q5 designation, no third row will be featured, leaving CUV buyers needing extra seats looking to the larger, more expensive Q7. The rear seats are flexible, mind you, with fore and aft sliding capability, and the requisite split and tumble forward feature to increase cargo space.
To Be Built in Ingolstadt
Audi has
plans of building 70,000 Q5s per year, and will do so at its Ingolstadt plant in Germany. Production starts in 2008, the result of a 300 million euro investment.
"The decision [to build the Q5 in Germany] demonstrates what potential there is for industrial production in Germany," commented Winterkorn. "We are delighted that the Audi Q5 will be built in Ingolstadt, now that we have reached an agreement with the Works Council enabling us to build it at a competitive cost."
The local community will be buoyed by the decision, previously a concern being that the TT is built in Hungary and the Q7in Slovakia. Now, however, a
total of some 1,700 German workers will be needed for Q5 production.
"This decision will also benefit employment at Neckarsulm, because both plants will be very closely interlinked," added Winterkorn.
Looking to stabilize long-term growth in Ingolstadt, Peter Mosch, Chairman of the General Works Council of AUDI AG stated, "After some lengthy rounds of tough negotiations, we are delighted with the outcome: Ingolstadt gets production of the Audi Q5! The overriding concern of our works councils is to safeguard jobs at Audi's German locations in the long term. The decision to build the Audi Q5 at Ingolstadt
and also the recent decision to build the R8 at Neckarsulm represent initial steps towards achieving this goal. We on the Works Council will continue to push for utilizing existing production capacity to the full, through new models."
Similar enthusiasm was expressed by labour leaders: "This decision proves that it is truly possible to build high-quality, marketable cars in Ingolstadt and therefore in Germany, for all the complaints we have been hearing about excessive labour costs," commented Berthold Huber, Vice-Chairman of the IG Metall trade union and Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board. "The dedication, experience and ability of a workforce are invaluable assets."
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| The stylish compact crossover-SUV will sport a number of drivetrain options plus a Torsen all-wheel drive system. (Photo: Artist's Rendering) |
Due to its compact nature and Q5 designation, no third row will be featured, leaving CUV buyers needing extra seats looking to the larger, more expensive Q7. The rear seats are flexible, mind you, with fore and aft sliding capability, and the requisite split and tumble forward feature to increase cargo space.
To Be Built in Ingolstadt
Audi has
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| The Q7 S-Line gives a good indication of what we might expect a Q7 S-Line to look like. (Photo: Audi Canada) |
"The decision [to build the Q5 in Germany] demonstrates what potential there is for industrial production in Germany," commented Winterkorn. "We are delighted that the Audi Q5 will be built in Ingolstadt, now that we have reached an agreement with the Works Council enabling us to build it at a competitive cost."
The local community will be buoyed by the decision, previously a concern being that the TT is built in Hungary and the Q7in Slovakia. Now, however, a
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| The Q5 should be capable of light off-roading, like its larger Q7 sibling. (Photo: Audi Canada) |
"This decision will also benefit employment at Neckarsulm, because both plants will be very closely interlinked," added Winterkorn.
Looking to stabilize long-term growth in Ingolstadt, Peter Mosch, Chairman of the General Works Council of AUDI AG stated, "After some lengthy rounds of tough negotiations, we are delighted with the outcome: Ingolstadt gets production of the Audi Q5! The overriding concern of our works councils is to safeguard jobs at Audi's German locations in the long term. The decision to build the Audi Q5 at Ingolstadt
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| Both the Q7 and upcoming Q5 are more or less inspired by the Pikes Peak concept that debuted at the 2003 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
Similar enthusiasm was expressed by labour leaders: "This decision proves that it is truly possible to build high-quality, marketable cars in Ingolstadt and therefore in Germany, for all the complaints we have been hearing about excessive labour costs," commented Berthold Huber, Vice-Chairman of the IG Metall trade union and Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board. "The dedication, experience and ability of a workforce are invaluable assets."