“This decision is the result of intensive discussions and also follows the wishes of our customers as well as feedback from our international dealers,” says Marco Schubert, Member of the Board of Management for Sales and Marketing at AUDI AG. “Our nomenclature now provides all customers worldwide with an intuitive orientation in our portfolio. We choose the names of our models in a way that reveals size and positioning at first glance.”

Going forward, the global alphanumeric model name will consist of one or more letters and a number. The letters A and Q continue to signify the distinction between low-floor and high-floor vehicles. The numbers – currently from one to eight – enable a clear classification independent of the type of powertrain. As a result, the previous distinction between different drivetrain technologies according to even and odd model numbers no longer applies.

Thanks to the orientation according to size and positioning, all-electric models can share the same combination of letters and numbers with combustion-engine vehicles. The necessary differentiation between models and variants in the portfolio is done using the body style (e.g. Avant, Sedan, or Sportback) and the – already established – powertrain code (e.g. e-tron, TFSI e, TFSI, or TDI).

The first new model to use this nomenclature will be the combustion-engine-equipped Audi A6. It stands for the brand’s long and successful history in the full-size segment and will be revealed globally on March 4. Thanks to the powertrain code, the A6 Avant TFSI for example, will be clearly differentiated from the all-electric A6 Avant e-tron. No retroactive name changes are planned concerning models already on sale.