Audi has introduced a big change to its naming technique, permitting each inside combustion and electrical automobiles to share the identical nameplates. This determination marks a departure from the naming scheme launched final 12 months, which designated odd numbers for combustion automobiles just like the A5 and Q5, whereas reserving even numbers and the E-Tron suffix for electrical fashions, such because the A6 E-Tron and Q6 E-Tron.
Shifting ahead, Audi clarified that numbers will solely replicate a mannequin’s measurement and place inside the lineup. The letters ‘A’ and ‘Q’ will proceed to distinguish automobiles from SUVs, which means that electrical and combustion fashions can share similar alphanumeric mixtures.
Branding associated to the powertrain—resembling E-Tron for electrical automobiles and TFSI for combustion engines—will stay in place, together with designations for particular physique types like Sportback and Avant.
Marco Schubert, Audi’s gross sales and advertising chief, acknowledged that this modification was pushed by intensive discussions and enter from clients and worldwide sellers. He famous that the revised naming system is extra intuitive, serving to clients higher perceive the place a mannequin matches within the lineup.
This new method additionally accommodates the various plug-in hybrids Audi plans to introduce, offering readability in a panorama the place fashions might in any other case be misclassified underneath a inflexible electric-versus-combustion division.
The primary mannequin to replicate this up to date naming scheme would be the next-generation gasoline Audi A6, beforehand designated as an A7. Set to be unveiled on March 4, will probably be labeled as an A6 TFSI, whereas its electrical counterpart will retain the A6 E-Tron title. Though they’ll share a reputation, the 2 fashions are anticipated to be constructed on completely different platforms: the A6 E-Tron will use the Premium Platform Electrical (PPE), akin to the Q6 E-Tron and electrical Porsche Macan, whereas the gasoline A6 will seemingly be constructed on the Premium Platform Combustion (PPC), launched with the newest Audi A5 and Q5 fashions.
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