Audi Q6 e-tron offroad is a radical 4×4 with 10,000lb ft of torque
Audi has revealed a new take on its famous quattro setup with a radical off-road version of the Q6 e-tron.
The Audi Q6 e-tron offroad concept is a jacked-up version of the brand’s premium SUV that uses the motors from the rapid SQ6 e-tron but is taller and wider than the regular car and features portal axles for extreme off-road capabilities.
Described as a ‘reinterpretation of quattro’ the vehicle isn’t intended for production but Audi does say it gives a ‘taste of a potential vehicle in the progressive off-road segment’, hinting that a more rugged version of the Q6 isn’t out of the question.
The concept vehicle sits 16cm further off the ground than the regular Q6 e-tron EV and features 25cm wider track to accommodate four portal axles, each incorporated into the wheel assembly of the two-motor car. These heavy-duty components, which shift the position of the axle relative to the wheel hub, are usually the preserve of extreme off-road machines such as the Unimog and the Mercedes G63 4×4², and Audi says their presence allows the Q6 off-road concept to climb gradients of up to 45 degrees.

Audi also says that while conventional portal axles allow an increase in torque of around 20-30% percent at the wheels, its new design boosts torque at the wheel by 50%. That takes peak torque – available in 10-second bursts – to a mind-boggling 9,883 lb ft. That, however, is the total measured at all four wheels, but still expect this concept to chunk out a lot more than the regular SQ6’s peak 631lb ft. The downside is a top speed limited to ‘just’ 108mph.
The Audi Q6 e-tron offroad is designed to showcase the potential of the PPE platform that powers the Q6 e-tron as well as other Audi and Porsche models, including the Audi A6 e-tron and the Porsche Macan EV.
Audi CEO Gernot Dollner commented: “The Q6 e-tron offroad concept is a reinterpretation of quattro. The model shows the potential that our platform for all electric vehicles already has today. This vehicle can claim new ground. We look forward to seeing our customers’ reactions to this highly emotive car.”
The snow-inspired Audi comes hot on the caterpillar tracks of the Genesis GV60 Mountain Intervention Vehicle concept which the Korean brand revealed last week.