Audi Pickup Truck Review: Will It Happen and When?

There is a breath of fresh air coming from Audi, they announced the Audi Pickup Truck. This comes as a bit of a surprise since Audi is not well-known for pickups. Well, frankly they have never made one. And this might worry some people or make them approach this truck with skepticism. But this does not need to be the truth. If anything, Audi is a manufacturer with a great pedigree. They tend to do things properly and pull all the stops with their vehicles. They do have a higher price tag, but you get premium German engineering with those four circles on the front.

Most people are aware that Audi is just a part of the Volkswagen alliance. And guess what, well VW has a pickup truck of its own. We are talking about the Amarok of course. It is quite possible that the new Audi Pickup Truck will be inspired by the Amarok. Amarok was done in partnership with Ford so the Ranger could also offer some parts and ideas for Audi’s pickup. We are probably looking at an electric powertrain truck, given the year it is supposed to come out. Let’s read more about the upcoming pickup and what it could look like.

Audi Pickup Truck

Audi Pickup Truck Concept

On the inside, the Audi Pickup Truck will probably look like other Audi vehicles. Expect a stylish interior with amazing technology. The seating has high-quality upholstery with contrast stitching. We can also expect to get multiple color choices for the upholstery. Massaging seats along with heated and ventilated seats are possible. The central infotainment system is all but confirmed. It should be at least 13 inches for all five passengers to be able to enjoy it. Standard connectivity is available. Dashboard and heads-up display are cool new gadgets that will be present. Expect some chrome and wooden accents along the cabin to improve luxury.

There is no telling how exactly the Audi Pickup Truck looks. Perhaps they will stay true to their style and design and borrow the look from their SUV line. Q7 is a great proxy for this. But with the cargo bed behind, since it is a pickup. Expect a tall ride height with an aluminum step to get inside easier. There is going to be a big front fascia with a well-known Audi logo. Air intakes to cool down the engine department. Or none of that if there is a battery pack to give power to the truck. This would give more space under the hood, probably for several suitcases. The truck would have a lot of curves to make it ergonomic and aerodynamic. Further improving fuel efficiency and handling.

Audi Pickup Truck

Audi Pickup Truck Specifications

Although Audi has some serious engines on its offer, we doubt they will go with the internal combustion engine this time around. The most probable path they take is the full electrification of the Audi Pickup Truck. This future proofs the truck and makes it a reliable option for a long time. Not to mention it will appeal to people concerned about the environment. Some companies offer free charging for a year or two when you purchase their electric vehicles. It will be interesting to see if Audi does the same. It sure would be an excellent selling point. Although they could borrow the powertrain from the Amarok. This would mean a 2.0-liter diesel engine with 150 horsepower and a five-gear manual transmission. This is mostly for the African market. There is also a 170 horsepower version of the same engine with six-speed transmission.

You could also get a twin-turbo diesel version with 200 horsepower. All of these engines come with all-wheel drive which is super useful for a pickup. There is a possibility of disconnecting the all-wheel drive and using just the rear. We get a 3.0 liter V6 with 250 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque. We do have a small 2.3 EcoBoost. Same engine powers the Ford Bronco. It has 250 horsepower.

Electrification

But hopefully, they forgo the traditional engine and choose complete electrification. It wouldn’t be completely new to have the Audi Pickup Truck sold as electric exclusively. All they need is a big battery pack. The platform can be borrowed from Ford’s Lightning. It is a fully electric pickup from Big Blue Oval. Putting a battery pack of at least 100 kWh should be enough. But hopefully, they go further than that, perhaps a 150 kWh. This would put the range of the truck way above 300 miles on a single charge.

It would also give it a lot of horsepower, usually somewhere in the range of a V6 or V8 engine. Using a dual electric motor setup reaps the best benefits so keep note of that. Full electrification shouldn’t postpone the arrival date of the truck. Technology has come far and it is not that complicated to make an electric truck. But we will have to wait and see how the pickup rolls off the production line. One thing is for sure, Audi never disappoints.

Audi Q7 Pickup Truck

Gas Mileage Estimations

It is very difficult to gauge how much fuel would the Audi Pickup Truck use. If most stuff is borrowed from the Amarok, we can guess that it could use around 36 mpg combined driving. Using a hybrid or electric powertrain would greatly improve these numbers.

Audi Pickup Truck Release Date

Audi will try to be faster than BMW. Expect the new Audi Pickup Truck to arrive later in 2023. Probably summer, which is the time that most manufacturers dish out their creations. The starting price is not known, but based on assumptions we guess that $60,000 would be a good starting point.

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