Audi

When you think Porsche, off-roaders are perhaps the last thing that comes to mind. But the German brand does have a rally-bred pedigree if we look back to the 911 and 959 Dakars from the 1980s. While purists may still scoff at their SUVs, models like the Cayenne and Macan which are household names today, were vital to Porsche’s survival. In fact, it is these very cash cows that have made cars like the iconic Carrera GT and 918 Spyder possible.

Porsche’s entry-level SUV, the Macan has gone electric, marking the end of the road for its gas-powered predecessor. Meanwhile, Audi is expanding its EV lineup with the Q6 e-tron, a stylish SUV that fits snugly between the Q4 e-tron and the flagship Q8 e-tron. Both German automakers joined forces to create the PPE platform, a versatile foundation for building high-performance electric vehicles. Also featured on the 2025 Porsche Macan Electric and the 2025 Audi Q6 e-tron, this platform boasts an 800-volt architecture, and its flexible design allows for various battery sizes and motor configurations, catering to a range of performance needs.

Back in 2019, Porsche finally took a leap into the electric future with the Taycan, a sleek and powerful EV that proved sports sedans could be both thrilling and eco-conscious. Seeing an opportunity to carve its own path in the electric performance sedan market, sister-brand Audi followed suit with the e-tron GT, its second electric offering after the fat e-tron SUV, built on the same J1 platform developed by Porsche.

Look, Porsche knows people still love the sweet, sweet sound of a roaring engine, especially with its second most popular model in the United States, the Macan. So, they’re doing the whole "we woke, also we want your money" thing by offering both electric and gas-powered Macans at the same time. While, Porsche does plan to eventually ditch gas for good in the Macan by 2026, what if you’re on a budget and want that luxury-ish, sporty-ish SUV vibe without the Porsche tax? Well, Audi’s latest Q5 and SQ5 are clinging to dino juice for the 2025 model year and could serve up as a compelling alternative to the gas-powered Macan.

Auto Union, which eventually became Audi was formed in 1932 by the conglomeration of four companies - Audi, DKW, Horch, and Wanderer. This is how the logo of 4 intertwined rings came to be, each representing a founding member company. Auto Union wanted to build race cars, to quickly establish its credentials as a reputable brand. As luck would have it one of the directors of the company had previously worked with Dr. Ferdinand Porsche, who had helped him develop a prototype racing car known as the P-Wagen (the P stood for Porsche).

The Audi R8 is a two-seater, mid-engine sports car that continues turning heads since its initial debut in 2006. Now in its second generation, launched in 2015, the R8 shares its platform and engine with the Lamborghini Huracán. Available exclusively with the V10 engine, it’s now capable of producing up to 612 horsepower.

Audi’s S3 serves as the perfect middle ground between the everyday A3 and the wild, track-focused RS3. While the S3 was sold in Europe since 1999, U.S. consumers got their hands on it for the first time in 2015. Fast forward to 2025, and we have the facelifted S3 sedan still belonging to the fourth-generation A3.

With the ever-popular midsize SUV segment booming with impressive all-electric vehicles, it was time Audi took the challenge seriously. The Q4 e-tron is just not there yet to get recommendations from EV experts, and the Q8 e-tron is just too expensive, without the wow factor you’d expect from a flagship EV. So, this is where the newly launched Q6 e-tron steps in.

In the race towards electrification, Porsche and Audi offer powerful contenders - the Porsche Taycan Turbo S and the Audi RS e-tron GT. Both manufacturers are rewriting the EV market’s performance, style, and innovation rules with these stunning machines.

The Audi SQ8 debuted as the performance variant of Audi’s flagship SUV, the Q8, which Audi released in 2018 as a rival to the BMW X6. The X6 was introduced in 2008 and was the first coupe SUV. Though its styling elicited some controversy due to the reduction in rear passenger and cargo space when compared to the comparably-equipped BMW X5, it made a success as BMW sold 4,548 units in the U.S. alone in 2008. As a result, Mercedes-Benz followed suit in 2015 with the GLE-Class Coupe seven years after the release of the X6. Audi took a long time to enter the segment by introducing the Q8 in 2018, 10 years after the X6, and one year after the Lamborghini Urus, which came out in 2017.