In a recent issue of Autocar Magazine, Audi CEO Gernot Döllner appears to have confirmed plans for the return of the A4 nameplate. That’s big news for those monitoring the plight of badges amidst the EV vs. ICE debate.
You may recall, it was Döllner who reversed course on the EV = events, ICE = odds alphanumerics convention just in time for the A6 launch that would have been A7 but for his decision. Audi’s top executive explained to Autocar, “A is for flat cars, Q is for SUVs and the number stands for the size of the car, full stop. No link to equal or odd numbers for drivetrains and so on. Drivetrains will be characterized by e-tron for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and E-hybrids. That’s it.”
To some this may be a trivial matter, but to others familiar with the brand it was confusing. For brand purists, it was even offensive.
Okay, so the change happened. But, what of the A5 you ask? This new sedan and Avant replaced the old A5/S5 range that was a coupé and a Sportback.
Well, according to the Autocar story, the change happened too close to the A5 launch and was thus irreversible. Further, expect that change to be reversed by the mid-lifecycle product improvement (P.I.).
So, what does that mean for the A5 if the sedan and Avant become A4 while a coupé and Sportback no longer are sold?
Good question.
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