Audi Greenlights Q1 Baby SUV As Part Of Giant Model Offensive

Some folks these days claim Audi is starting to get a little lazy after a decade of big success. Not so, say the folks at Ingolstadt; they're about to kick off a big expansion of their lineup, starting with the Audi Q1 baby crossover.

Audi this morning announced that development of the smallest member of their crossover range has been greenlit for release in 2016. The Q1 will fill in a slot at the bottom of a lineup that includes the Q3, RS Q3, Q5, SQ5 and Q7. Audi says the Q1 will be built on the innovative MQB platform in Ingolstadt where the A3, A4 and other vehicles are made.

No word on what it will look like just yet, but it's possible it could be similar to the Audi Crosslane Coupe Concept pictured above that debuted last year. Or, you know, something entirely different.

It's a smart move on Audi's part. The small, fuel efficient, premium crossover market is one with tremendous growth potential in several markets. It's also clear that the Q family is a big hit for Audi — they say SUVs accounted for 30 percent of production in 2013, most of which are the hot-selling Q5.

And to address the critics who say they're slowing down, Audi says they plan on expanding their lineup from 49 models to 60 by 2020. Let's just hope they have something crazy in those plans for the hardcore fans, right?