In a wild bit of news, a journalist asked Audi CEO Markus Duesmann about the company building a pickup, and the exec responded: "I can't promise that we will do one, but we are looking into it." We might even see something related to the truck soon, according to Autocar.
"Actually, we will present – not too far from now – maybe something," Duesmann said referring to the pickup. This might hint that a concept for the truck is on the way.
Gallery: 2023 Volkswagen Amarok Unofficial Rendering
Duesmann answered these questions while standing with the leaders of Bentley, Ducati, and Lamborghini. Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark responded, "I would not love to have one in the Bentley portfolio," according to Autocar.
Given Audi's investment into electric vehicles and advanced driver assistance systems, putting money into building a dedicated truck platform doesn't fit with the rest of its strategy. Instead, the brand could take advantage of Volkswagen's partnership with Ford for the underpinnings supporting the new Amarok and Ranger.
If this is the plan, then Audi could potentially use the Amarok as a starting point. From there, the truck would likely get more luxurious materials and improved tech on the inside. The exterior would at least need the Four Rings badge to differentiate it from the VW. The only confirmed engine for the Amarok so far is a turbodiesel V6, but other powertrains should be available.
We also can't rule out Audi using one of Volkswagen Group's electric vehicle platforms to create a unibody pickup. While the resulting model might not be as rugged as an Amarok-based truck, it would be more in line with the brand's future strategy. Plus, the electric pickup segment is expanding quickly with entries like the F-150 Lightning, Rivian R1T, and many more.
Premium brand's building pickup trucks have a rocky history. Lincoln tried twice with the F-150-based Blackwood and Mark LT, and both of them failed. Mercedes tried to adapt the Nissan Navarra into the X-Class, which also didn't find success.
The notable exception to this outcome is the GMC brand, particularly the Denali versions of its products. The Canyon and Sierra Denali take the Chevrolet Colorado and Silverado respectively, add luxuries, and continue to find customers.
The lead image above is a rendering of an Audi RS6 pickup from X-Tomi Design.
