Audi may abandon the controversial naming scheme for its cars
Audi acknowledged that the change in naming logic, which turned the A4 into the A5, has ultimately confused everyone. Now the company is open to returning to a simpler and clearer system.
What's known
A few years ago, Audi decided to divide its model range by powertrain type: odd indices for gasoline and diesel cars, even indices for electric vehicles. This led to the A4 being renamed to A5 - a designation previously used for coupes and liftbacks. As a result, customers are confused, and sellers spend time explaining.
The head of Audi, Gernot Döllner, called this decision a mistake. In an interview with the Australian publication Drive at the Munich auto show, he stated that the brand would return to the previous logic: "A" stands for passenger models, "Q" for crossovers, and the number indicates the size and class of the car."
This means the current gasoline A5 may once again become the A4 after a facelift. Likely within the next couple of years.
Meanwhile, the fully electric Audi A4 e-tron is expected in the 2028 model year. It will be built on the new SSP platform and will feature a design in the spirit of the Concept C concept. Thus, the model range may simultaneously feature both an internal combustion engine A4 and an A4 e-tron. A similar approach is also being prepared by BMW and Mercedes-Benz for their 3 Series and C-Class.
This is not the first time Audi has acknowledged naming errors. Previously, the company abandoned numerical designations like 35 and 55, which were supposed to indicate power but turned out to be unclear to buyers.
Source: Drive
