Audi Q3 Gets Green Light

Audi has just confirmed production of the Q3 starting in 2011. The news comes as Audi AG announced the selection of the SEAT facility in Martorell, Spain as the location where the upcoming crossover will be built.

Little is known about the Q3 other than that it will slot in under the new Q5 in Audi’s lineup of SUVs. Audi describes it as a “coupé-like five-door SUV with seat positions, wheel size, and ground clearance characteristic of a typical SUV.” It is expected to be a versatile platform and yet have a sporty driving dynamic. As for the design, it is expected to be influenced heavily by the Cross Coupe Quattro concept vehicle (pictured above).

The new Q3 production facility will create 1,200 jobs in Spain. Unfortunately, however, this decision means that any plans to produce the vehicle in the United States have been put on hold. Currently it is not yet confirmed if the Q3 will be sold in North America.

With production starting in 2011, Audi will also begin sales of the car in Fall of the same year, with an expected sales volume of 80,000 units annually.

Official release after the jump:

April 22, 2009

AUDI AG: New Q3 SUV generation to be
produced in Martorell, Spain as of 2011

• Audi CEO Rupert Stadler: “Consistent strategy of growth and
internationalization through this product and production
decision”
• Investments of around €300 million, production capacity of up to
80,000 units yearly
• Key measure for securing jobs

Ingolstadt/Wolfsburg/Martorell – A production site for the Audi Q3 was
chosen today: the SEAT site in Martorell, Spain. Manufacture will begin in
2011 with an annual production capacity of up to 80,000 units. The total
investment will amount to around €300 million.

“Following in-depth consideration of all relevant factors and an extensive
international comparison of various sites, we selected Martorell,” explained
Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management at AUDI AG. This
decision enables Audi to continue its strategy of growth and internationalization.
Mr. Stadler added: “We are counting on this Spanish site’s efficiency, the
excellent quality of the Production department, and its highly trained staff. We will
use the Group’s synergies to sharpen our competitive edge and help protect
around 1,200 jobs. The decision furthermore safeguards workplaces at other
Audi locations.”

Audi Board Member for Production Frank Dreves: “Starting in 2011, the Audi Q3 will
be produced to Audi quality standards at the Martorell factory. This gives us additional
flexibility regarding future decisions about products. We will begin preparing at once.”

Having agreed that the Q3 will be manufactured in Spain, a decision about production
in the USA has been postponed. Mr. Stadler: “We will systematically explore our
options in the context of the current market crisis. Audi is in a good position. There is
currently no urgent need to select additional sites.”

A small, sporty SUV, the Audi Q3 will join the family consisting of the Audi Q5
(produced in Ingolstadt, Germany) and the Audi Q7 (produced in Bratislava,
Slovakia). Yet another compact vehicle in a new model range is thus set to join
the A1 in 2011. The Q3 will further expand the Q family. A coupé-like five-door
SUV with seat positions, wheel size, and ground clearance characteristic of a
typical SUV, the Audi Q3 will stand out thanks to a supremely sporty driving
experience. The Q3 will blend a compact car’s design and driving dynamics with
an SUV’s spaciousness and versatility. True to Audi tradition, innovative technical
solutions will blaze new trails in efficiency, driving pleasure, and comfort. The
market launch of the Q3 is scheduled for 2011.

The production facility in Martorell is yet another cornerstone in AUDI AG’s portfolio
of sites. Audi produces its vehicles in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm (Germany),
Hungary, Belgium, Slovakia, India, and China.