The A9 images published here are from an independent design study by Spanish designer Dani Garcia.]
German car magazine Auto Bild is reporting more details on the development at Audi of an A9 flagship coupe.
According to the report, the A9 will be a 2-door coupe based on the A8 and featuring a "modern design." It will be over 5 meters long and be furnished with a highly-refined interior. It will make it to market by 2014 and will also have a cabriolet variant. Starting prices will be around €80,000.
Earlier this year, we reported on a plan Audi had for an A9 that would share a platform with a production Lamborghini Estoque (as both are VW Group brands.)
But that report pegged the A9 as a four-door coupe competing against the likes of the Mercedes-Benz CLS and the Porsche Panamera.
Whatever body-style Audi ultimately opts for, the A9 would likely come with an aluminum space-frame (like the A8) and source its main components from the MLB architecture (Modularen Längsbaukasten, or 'modular longitudinal architecture' in English).
With the A8 it would also probably share the air-sprung chassis architecture and the assembly line at Audi's Neckarsulm plant.
But an A9 may come with a new engine being developed by Audi - a 4.0 liter V8 - as well as borrow the V6 and V8's of the A8 range. VW Group's 6.3 liter W12 engine could also be an option.
