Audi cancels its plans to abandon combustion engines

Times change, or not. Audi, this brand renowned for its automotive daring, is revisiting its carefully crafted plan to abandon combustion engines. Yes, this same manufacturer which, not so long ago, promised a fully electric future – a bit like a child promising never to touch candy again before finding a pack of Twix in their hands. The retreat is total, and it is time to have fun decoding this incredible reversal.

Audi and the saga of abandoning thermal engines

A little throwback for those who, like an old rocker, can’t get over farewell tours. At the beginning of the decade, Audi was well on its way to ushering its cars from the Stone Age to the Lithium Age. The German brand had set a very clear course, labeled ‘fully electric by 2033’. The brilliant idea here? To make people forget about those nasty gasoline engines, akin to lame ducks in a world of electric tweets. But here we are, the market has taken an unexpected turn. The electric grass is not as green as it seems.

Flexibility and masquerades

In an interview with Autocar, the brand new CEO Gernot Döllner laid his cards on the table, stating that the ambition of a combustion-free Audi was as real as a unicorn in real life. In clearer terms, he warmed up the ashes of combustion engines to say that Audi planned to resurrect these engines like an old rock band surfacing for a final tour… with no end date, of course. Ending up leaving this legacy behind? Not so simple.

Audi is thus following the movement of big names in the industry, like BMW or Mercedes-Benz who, by the way, aren't giving up their V8s to throw themselves into the electric carriage. Even Renault, Peugeot, and Citroën are rubbing their hands together in a corner regarding their future small thermal models.

Unclear reasoning

To be honest, when Audi claims it wants to ‘keep flexibility’, it can equally evoke a bartender keeping a pint full just in case the customer sobers up as a company facing market realities. The absence of a deadline for the removal of thermal engines suggests that the implementation of this policy will be more improbable than a Jaguar painting pink walls. And beyond mere performance, what about the growing pressure from European regulations on the ban of selling thermal models? A beautiful dance in uncertainty, but after all, who really needs to care when the road is paved with beautiful bodies and promises?

A ball of hypocrites

Audi is far from the only one. Volkswagen, in particular, is perpetually circling this question, hesitating between combustion engines and electric, like a runner hesitant to cross the finish line. Porsche, Skoda, and even Dacia are joining this banquet of automotive hypocrisy, where everyone promises to move toward imminent electrification while temporarily keeping combustion engines in their catalogs – a bit like a charlatan adding spices to expired recipes.

And while Audi wrestles with its mechanical schizophrenia, the world keeps turning. Synthetic fuels are now a magic wand for several brands, ready to save combustion engines like a superhero in a B-movie. All of this brings a smile and frankly makes one shake their head.

Spoiled children of the automobile

The question remains: why continue this fierce fight against the death of combustion engines? Already, these rustic blocks allow one to feel what it is to drive, to resonate within the gut of a driver. A pretty melody distinct from the songs of electric sirens. Nevertheless, this revolt against abandonment resembles that of spoiled children. Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz – all relish playing this little game of unfulfilled promises. Perhaps one day, these jewels of the automobile will realize that people love the noise, the purr, and the roar of engines – a sound that resonates like an old-school melody amidst modern players.

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