What Audi Enthusiasts Can Be Thankful for This Year

Words: Joe Kucinski

Happy Thanksgiving! Believe it or not, 2025 is almost in the rearview mirror already. And there are a lot of exciting things to look forward to in 2026. We are 100 days from the lights going out at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix. Not that we are counting. But before we jump ahead, this is the time of the year when we look back and reflect.

Audi, like most of us, had some ups and downs during 2025. But there is still much to be thankful for. And that is what we want to discuss today. The following are some of the highlights from 2025 that Audi enthusiasts can be happy about. They are listed in the order in which they happened. Did we miss anything that you think we should include? Please share your thoughts and let us know what Audi events you are thankful for in 2025.

Audi Sport Customer Racing Success

This has been going on all year. Actually, for several years. Audi customer racing teams have been stacking podiums, wins and championship titles all over the world. The Audi R8 and RS 3 racing platforms are still competitive. With such a rich motorsport history, we are thankful that Audi Sport customer teams are continuing the winning tradition.

Clarification of Model Names

Audi model names were starting to get confusing for even the most diehard Audi fans, let alone the general public. Thankfully, in February, Audi of America announced the strengthening of the alphanumeric format of its naming conventions. “This decision is the result of intensive discussions and also follows the wishes of our customers as well as feedback from our international dealers,” says Marco Schubert, Member of the Board of Management for Sales and Marketing at AUDI AG. The letters A and Q signify the distinction between low-floor and high-floor vehicles. And the numbers, which are currently from one to eight in the Audi lineup provide a clear classification independent of the type of powertrain.

In other words, Audi model names make sense again. Thank you!

All-New A6

Back in March Audi announced the details around the all-new A6. Details of the U.S. model were released in September. The new model features a modern, sophisticated redesign, sharper performance, more technology and improved handling. There will always be grumbling whenever a new model is released. That is just the nature of the business. But we have an all-new A6 and it is still powered by a gasoline engine. Let’s be thankful for that.

All-New Q5

The all-new A6 was big news, but the all-new Q5 was even bigger. The Q5 is the best-selling Audi vehicle in the lineup so they had to get this one right. We had the opportunity to drive the all-new Q5 and the high-performance SQ5 in the spring and we came away impressed with the new generation. The Q5 is the perfect one vehicle solution for a family and the SQ5 is the perfect solution for a family that never wants to be late.  

Audi Signature Care Scheduled Maintenance

We got some very welcome news from Audi of America this past August. That news was the introduction of Audi Signature Care Scheduled Maintenance included on all models. The plan covers all scheduled maintenance services in the first three years/30,000 miles of ownership. If you were holding off from buying an Audi because you were afraid of potentially expensive maintenance costs, then this was the biggest news of the year for you. And it is your green light to buy that new Audi.

Audi Concept C

If I had to narrow down the list to just a single item to be thankful for, it just might be the Audi Concept C reveal. This was a huge moment for Audi. “TT Moment 2.0” is how they referred to it. It is more than just a concept for a new model. It shows the design language for the future of Audi. Audi understands that they need to turn things around and they are hoping the Concept C is the next big step in that process. It certainly looks promising and we are thankful that Audi is heading in this new direction.

Access to Tesla NACS Partner Supercharger Stations

For all the EV owners out there, this may have been the biggest news of the year. Audi of America announced in September that select Audi e-tron model owners will have access to an additional 23,500 compatible Tesla NACS Partner Superchargers across North America using a manufacturer-approved adapter. That is a massive boost to what was previously just 5,000 Electrify America DC fast chargers. Keeping your Audi EV fully charged has never been easier.

Audi R26 Concept

The anticipation of Audi joining the Formula 1 grid has been building for years. On November 12, we finally got our first look at the R26 Concept that will take the grid next year. The final race livery will not be revealed for a couple more months, but the titanium, carbon black and Audi Lava Red color palette looks fantastic. A whole new racing chapter at Audi is about to be written and we are thankful for that.

All-New Q3

Just a week after the exciting R26 Concept reveal the all-new Audi Q3 was revealed. The third-generation Q3 is of course nothing like the Formula 1 car, but it is equally important to Audi. And it looks like Audi will have a hit on its hands. It offers more tech, more performance and more value than ever before. And it is all wrapped in a handsome new package.

Thank you, Audi! We can’t wait for 2026.