Six-Lug Off-Road Mule Spied at Audi Site Hints EV 4x4

A test mule with six-lug wheels, BFGoodrich all-terrain tyres and lifted ride height was photographed at a highly confidential Audi facility in Europe, suggesting the four-ring brand is evaluating a serious off-road machine.

The photographed vehicle carries heavy off-road cues: large ground clearance, prominent fender flares, sturdy side steps and a roof-mounted light bar. Spy photographers removed the background to protect the precise location and their sources, and the unusual camouflage does not follow Audi’s typical patterns, reinforcing that this is not a standard development mule.

What the mule could be

There is no definitive identification yet, but the mule has revived talk that Audi may be preparing a G-Class rival. Our sources are cautious: some say it might be a Volkswagen Touareg test vehicle, though six-lug wheels would be an odd fit for that model and align better with a serious off-road architecture.

Audi CEO Gernot Dollner has linked the possibility to Scout’s new models, telling reporters a body-on-frame SUV is "in the framework" while adding that "no decision has been taken yet" and "if we do something like that, it is only thinkable to do it on a platform that is already there." Scout’s Terra and Traveler were unveiled in the United States of America last year and will be assembled locally starting from 2027.

Scout’s announced architecture supports the theories. The Terra (pickup) and Traveler (SUV) are fully electric, use dual-motor layouts with full-time four-wheel drive, sit on a ladder-frame chassis and include locking differentials front and rear. Both Scout models also feature six-lug wheels, the same detail that drew attention on the recent Audi mule.

Given Volkswagen Group’s current financial constraints and pauses on some programs, Audi would plausibly pursue a body-on-frame SUV only by leveraging an existing platform or a sister-brand architecture. Any move to offer internal combustion engines on such a platform remains unconfirmed and would be speculative at this stage.

The mule’s appearance places it in direct competitive context with the Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Land Rover Defender. Mercedes has pushed the G into electrified territory as well: the G 580 uses four permanently synchronous electric motors, the company lists 579 hp (432 kW/587 ps) and 859 lb-ft (1,165 Nm) of torque, and a 0-60 mph (0-97 kph) time of 4.6 seconds for that variant. Audi’s potential offering would also enter a field where BMW is reportedly planning an off-road-focused model codenamed G74, which may use the CLAR platform in a milder form.

Audi’s photographed mule and Dollner’s comments make a Scout-linked, ladder-frame electric 4x4 a credible possibility, but the company has not committed to production and several technical and market questions remain open.

Photographs were supplied by SH Proshots. The vehicle’s final identity, powertrain choices and production plans remain unannounced by Audi.