The first rumours about the possible postponement of Audi Q8 e-tron production appeared in early February. Now this information has been confirmed by Audi production director Gerd Walker. He said at the Automobilwoche Congress conference in Munich that the next generation Q8 e-tron will start rolling off the assembly line in Mexico in 2027 and it's a done deal.
Although the decision has already been made within Audi, still ahead is the so-called VW Group planning round, which officially approves the distribution of the model range between the individual brands in the autumn. So plans could still change at a higher level.
Walker mentioned Mexico, but not a specific plant. Audi operates a plant in San Jose Chiapa - where the Q5 and plug-in hybrids are currently made. The move from Audi's plant in Belgium to the Mexico facility would be an internal move that would not affect other VW Group brands. This could significantly increase the likelihood of getting the green light from Wolfsburg. The second option could be a VW plant in Puebla, which would affect the main brand's North American production.
While Walker was vague in his statements about Mexico, he also made it clear that Audi wants to stay in Brussels. The plant was owned by VW since 1970, before being taken over by Audi in 2007. The production director did not announce a specific model for after 2027, but said the company will come up with something.
Source: Electrive, Automobilwoche
