Some of the German automakers had their annual press conferences this week to look back at 2019 results and provide a glimpse into the future as well. VW teased the second-generation Amarok with Ford ties while BMW disclosed plans to build all-electric 7 Series for the flagship sedan's next iteration. As for Audi, it announced the names of a few models it will reveal later this year.
According to Bram Schot, Chairman of the Board of Management, 2020 will be the year when the Q2 will get the typical mid-cycle facelift. It doesn't come as a big surprise Audi's baby crossover is going to receive a nip and tuck in the months to come taking into account we've seen plenty of spy shots with camouflaged prototypes undergoing testing.
The cosmetic revisions will be mainly limited to redesigned headlights and taillights to bring the pint-sized crossover in line with its bigger brothers, along with mildly modified bumpers. We wouldn't get our hopes up too high for an RS Q2 since Audi Sport recently said it doesn't plan to launch an RS car with a four-cylinder engine, hence why there also won't be an RS1 Sportback.
Confirming a rumor that made the headlines just a couple of days ago, Bram Schot announced plans for a first-ever Q5 Sportback to go head to head with the BMW X4 and the Mercedes GLC Coupe. It will likely be based on the facelifted version of the regular Q5 and should get a warm SQ5 Sportback variant to fight the "M40i" and "43" models from Bavaria and Stuttgart, respectively. With Audi Sport expressing its desire to launch more SUV, there's a pretty good chance RS Q5 models are also in the pipeline.
It goes without saying the Q5 beaten with the coupe stick will command a premium over the conventionally styled model, much like its swoopy rivals are pricier than the normal versions they're heavily based upon.
There's more to come from Audi this year as Bram Schot also said four new plug-in hybrid models will be added to the lineup. Chances are the new S3 Sportback will also be introduced seeing as how the Four Rings have already released comprehensive technical details and revealing images. The year's end will also bring us the production-ready E-Tron GT as Audi's take on the Porsche Taycan, and we might also see the A3 Sedan before 2020 wraps up. In total, Audi says it will introduce approximately 20 new models this year, including five EVs.
As a final note, the announcement concerning the new models was made after Bram Schot told the media Audi will gradually shut down the factories in Ingolstadt, Neckarsulm, Brussels, San José Chiapa, and Győr by the week's end as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
