Is Audi's nomenclature already in jeopardy?

Ah, Audi and its troubles with nomenclature... It's a bit like watching a chef try to reinvent French cuisine only to end up serving a simple ham-and-butter sandwich: one is left wondering where one stands and what one is supposed to eat. In 2023, the brand with the rings wanted to play the rigorous mathematician by assigning even numbers to its electric cars and odd numbers to thermal and hybrid models. A brilliant idea on paper, except that the infamous return of the thermal A6 throws this logic into the ditch. So, is Audi becoming the king of the incomprehensible puzzle, just like its cousins at Volkswagen who launch ranges as clear as a secret code? Take your seat, it’s going to shake things up.

the return of the thermal A6 challenges Audi's nomenclature strategy

Imagine yourself snacking in your garden hoping for a ripe strawberry — except the strawberry turns into a radish that intrudes without warning. This is the equivalent of what happened with the A6 e-tron, the beautiful electric model meant to proudly bear an even number. Two years later, it is joined by an A6... thermal. This is no mere deviation, it's an indigestion. The naming system, which seemed clear — even numbers for electric, odd numbers for thermal — is reduced to a guessing game for customers more lost than a cat in a maze.

And that’s not all. For a German specialty meant to offer clarity and precision, the renewal of the A4, which became the A5, has already created chaos in people's minds. The A7, another big star on paper, appears to have been decommissioned, leaving a gaping hole in the range. So, who’s in charge? The alphabetic order or the marketing from the high-tech electric realm? Neither?

when simplicity becomes a mirage in the Audi range

Audi has just put on its apron and, like a tired chef, proposes a new recipe: forget the difference between odd and even. Sedans and SUVs will continue to bear the letters A and Q, respectively, and the numbers will indicate the segment. Gone is the headache of even numbers reserved for electricity. Now, each model can come in thermal or electric variants. A reasonable solution, perhaps, but so dull and disappointing for those who hoped for a clear direction in this marketing fog.

But don’t be fooled: this hybridization of the system is not without consequences. The famous gap left by the A4 might well remain empty, just like that of the A7. Audi, in a final mocking wink, reminds us that the automobile is also a complicated balancing act where neither BMW, Mercedes-Benz, nor even Porsche are safe from casting errors. Meanwhile, Renault, Peugeot, Citroën, and even Ford continue to play their part, sometimes simpler, sometimes just as confusing.

the economic stakes and strategy in the face of global competition

Let’s face it: Audi is not the only one fighting in this melee. Volkswagen is a bit nervous with its multiple brands. Mercedes, which has always had an almost academic nomenclature, today juggles between tradition and EQ, its electric line. Porsche, subtle, carefully dresses its models while Renault and the Peugeot-Citroën duo take advantage of their agility to adjust less rigid but sometimes just as confusing strategies.

The obsession with electrification is turning the industry into a minefield. And as always, it’s the customers who suffer, trying to understand if their new Audi is a car of the future or a recent relic of the thermal past. A real relay race between the past and the future, led by a team that sometimes forgets its runners along the way.

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