GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: Q1' approved for production

A senior Audi board member has confirmed to motoring.com.au that work is well under way to expand its SUV range to include an A1-sized SUV and, possibly, a production version of last year's TT Offroad Beijing concept.

Based on a next-generation version of the scalable MQB platform that underpins the Audi A3, the premium rival to Nissan's Juke, the small, entry-level SUV will sit below the Q3 and go on sale in Europe in 2016.

The existence of the new model arose out of a discussion with Audi board member, Ulrich Hackenberg. As yet unnamed, according to Hackenberg, Audi will have to invent a new name for the small crossover because Alfa Romeo owns the 'Q2' name.

Q1 was initially considered but ruled out says the board member because it would attract pricing that is "too low" for the small premium SUV.

Hackenberg also said the new small SUV would share its platform (and presumably engines and transmissions) with the all-new second-generation A1 that will follow on after the small crossover.

In the round table discussion with European and other Australian journalists, Hackenberg also announced that he had given his personal backing for the Audi TT Offroad concept that was first shown at the Beijing motor show last year.

Referring to the Audi crossover as the "TT Q", Hackenberg said that the later Paris motor show TT Sportback was ruled out because it would sit too closely in the Audi line-up to the A3 Sportback.

If green lit Hackenberg told the assembled journalists that the TT Q could be on sale as soon as late 2017.

More 2015 Geneva motor show news here