Anybody walking into an Audi showroom in the year 2000 would have been faced with 17 different cars from which to choose. Do the same today and the number has grown to a barely believable 53, with another two due by the end of the year.
By 2020 the range will have swollen again as we move into the era of plug-in hybrid and battery electric Audis, which will result in another 21 new cars, some joining existing model lines, others branching off into new ones.
The aim, of course, is to offer as many models in as many different segments and configurations as possible, which is precisely how you end up with cars such as the SQ5. This is essentially a high-performance version of the company’s Q5 SUV,...