Audi is set to introduce a new naming and badging system in effort to make its range of products easier to understand. The new system replaces the one introduced in 2017 which drew criticism from buyers for its complexity.
Audi is also doing away with its odds and evens approach to identifying its combustion and electric models. Under the current system, all electric models carry an odd number (Q4, A6, Q8 etc), while petrol and diesel models are assigned even numbers. Under the new system, numbers (ranging from 1 to 8) will indicate size rather than engine type. The brand will continue to use A and Q to differentiate between saloons/estates and SUVs but will drop its baffling system of numbers to denote power outputs and engine sizes for its combustion models.
Under the outgoing system, all models wore a two digit number that related to the their output. For example, a car with 108-122bhp would be assigned the number 30, while a car with more than 536bhp would wear the number 70. Adding to the confusion was the fact that Audi left gaps between power groups, which meant some models fell between two categories.
The new system has been simplified for the brand’s all-electric offerings, which will be the first to feature the revised badging set-up. As almost all models come with two power outputs, the more powerful model in the range will be prefixed by the letter S. All-wheel drive models will be suffixed with the brand’s famous Quattro word mark.
The first model to adopt the revised format will be the new Audi A6, which is set for a global unveiling on 4 March. While future models will follow this structure, Audi has confirmed that existing cars will retain their current names.
