Gernot Döllner became the CEO and Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi AG on September 1, 2023, nearly three years ago. While the next-generation Q7 is a redesigned version of the company’s well-selling midsize, three-row SUV, the Q9 is a new larger, three-row, full-size SUV designed to take on the Mercedes-Benz GLS and BMW X7. Döllner was not the one who signed the company on to make the Q9. They replaced what Döllner called “an innovative door handle concept on the car” that worked well, but during test drives was nixed in dramatic fashion. The vision where we are aiming for design-wise, we presented last year with the Concept C,” he said.