Audi on Monday introduced that it’ll drop a naming conference introduced final 12 months and permit internal-combustion and electrical automobiles to share names.
The automaker beforehand stated it will hold its alphanumeric format as extra EVs entered the lineup, however reserve even numbers for electrical fashions and odd numbers for combustion fashions. That naming scheme was rolled out with the newest gasoline Audi A5—now a hatchback changing each the previous-generation A5 and the A4 sedan—and Q5 crossover, alongside the electrical A6 Sportback E-Tron and Q6 E-Tron.
However, in a press launch, Audi stated it will reverse that call. In these alphanumeric names, numbers will as soon as once more confer with a mannequin’s dimension and positioning within the lineup—not the powertrain sort—whereas the letters A and Q will proceed to designate vehicles and crossovers, respectively. Which means electrical and combustion fashions can now have the identical identify, for probably the most half.
Audi will nonetheless use powertrain-specific branding akin to E-Tron for EVs, TFSI for combustion engines, and TFSI e for plug-in hybrids. And it’ll hold its current body-style designations, akin to Avant for wagons and Sportback as a catch-all time period for automobiles with sleeker-than-normal rooflines.
No retroactive identify adjustments are deliberate for fashions already on sale, Audi stated, however going ahead the automaker hopes that going again to its earlier naming scheme will deal with buyer and seller considerations about confusion.
“This determination is the results of intensive discussions and in addition follows the desires of our prospects in addition to suggestions from our worldwide sellers,” Audi gross sales and advertising and marketing boss Marco Schubert stated in an announcement. “Our nomenclature now offers all prospects worldwide with an intuitive orientation in our portfolio.”
The primary new mannequin affected by this modification is the next-generation Audi A6 sedan, which might have been badged as an A7 underneath the outgoing naming scheme. Resulting from be revealed Mar. 4, it is going to be bought alongside the electrical A6 Sportback E-Tron revealed final 12 months. The 2 A6 variants are seemingly to make use of totally different platforms, although, as Audi has divided its car architectures into Premium Platform Electrical (PPE) and Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) for the 2 powertrain varieties.
