[Image Source: AutoExpress]

By Gunnar Heinrich

Audi will not be left behind! The QuadRinged thorn in the side of Mercedes-Benz and BMW sales is set to produce a MLK-Class and X3 competitor that will premiere at the Geneva Auto Show next year. The compact (relatively speaking) SUV will be dubbed the Q5 and will take plenty of design cues from the bigger Q7.

AutoExpress' Sam Hardy said that Audi's mini-ute won't be so mini on the inside and claims to know that the SUV will feature all the on-road and off-road prowess the market has come to expect from SUVs like BMW's X3.

"Inside, there will be enough room to carry five adults in comfort, while the cabin is derived from the new A5. The Q5 will have limited off-road ability, and all models will feature a raised ride height and quattro four-wheel drive as standard. But with a chassis tuned for on-road handling, it will be sporty and fun to drive," Hardy wrote.

The bigger Q7 will debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show next month and will likely compete against Mercedes-Benz's large GL-Class.

[Source: AutoExpress]