Audi Confesses It Shouldn’t Have Changed Its Naming Strategy

Much like Mercedes rolled out a separate “EQ” lineup, Audi sought to create a clearer distinction between combustion-engine and fully electric models. The idea was for ICE vehicles to carry odd numbers, while EVs would use only even numbers. However, those plans were abruptly scrapped, though not before affecting the name of a core model. The A4 became the A5 in 2024, spawning the A5/S5 Avant, with an RS5 launching shortly.

Under the old naming structure, the A6 was also supposed to become the A7, but Audi backtracked before the latest-generation model launched last year. Going forward, Ingolstadt will revert to the traditional approach to avoid confusion across its lineup. The German luxury automaker also doesn’t rule out bringing back the A4 name in the future. It’s too early to say whether that will happen with the car’s mid-cycle facelift or if the old moniker will return with the next-generation model.

Audi is no stranger to renaming a car within the same generation. The E-Tron was rebranded as the Q8 E-Tron when the facelifted electric SUV debuted in 2022. That change didn’t have much of an impact on sales, as the model was pulled from production about a year ago due to weak demand.

Photo by: Audi

CEO Gernot Döllner told Australia’s Drive magazine that Audi is open to reinstating the A4 badge on its BMW 3 Series rival: “Yeah, that’s thinkable – in general with the A6 as [the] anchor point, from there into the future we will be [looking].”

Reverting to the old naming convention won’t affect the rollout of new EVs. An A4 without a combustion engine is still in development and is expected to carry the A4 E-Tron name when it launches later this decade, possibly in 2028. Audi will arrive late to this segment, considering the BMW i3 sedan and the electric Mercedes C-Class are both due this year.

Then again, this isn’t the first time Audi has introduced a new naming strategy only to abandon it shortly afterward. Remember the double-digit scheme based on power output intervals? Introduced in 2017 and scrapped in 2024, it was criticized almost immediately, as the two-number combinations left customers scratching their heads:

• 25 – 80 kW (107 hp) or lower
• 30 – 81–96 kW (109–129 hp)
• 35 – 110–120 kW (148–161 hp).
• 40 – 125–150 kW (168–201 hp)
• 45 – 169–185 kW (227–248 hp)
• 50 – 210–230 kW (282–308 hp)
• 55 – 245–275 kW (329–369 hp)

Photo by: Theophilus Chin | Motor1

Photo by: Theophilus Chin | Motor1

When Audi And AUDI Are Two Different Brands

Another layer of confusion was added last year, albeit only in China. Audi partnered with SAIC to launch a separate, electric-only AUDI brand, spelled in all caps and stripped of the iconic Four Rings. The AUDI E5 Sportback is the first model, with a larger SUV set to follow shortly.

Globally, the core Audi brand is preparing for major lineup changes this year. In addition to the RS5 and RS5 Avant mentioned earlier, the next-generation Q7 arrives in 2026. A larger Q9 is due before the end of the year, along with an entry-level electric model that may revive the A2 nameplate. Elsewhere, the A1 and Q2 will be axed from the lineup after the current-generation models retire.

Looking ahead, it will be interesting to see how Audi names the production version of the Concept C when the electric sports car debuts next year. Since the company has already said it won’t be a direct replacement for either the TT or R8, it’s safe to assume a fresh name has been chosen for the performance EV, which will feature an electrically operated targa roof.

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Source: Audi

Motor1’s Take: We all make mistakes, and it’s refreshing to see an automaker acknowledge and own up to one. Ideally, these name changes wouldn’t have happened in the first place, as there was nothing wrong with the original strategy.

Adding an “E-Tron” suffix for electric models from the start would have made perfect sense, and would’ve been more than enough to differentiate ICE cars from EVs.