Audi A4 Returns! Naming Scheme Revised to Separate Gas and EV Models

Audi has announced a reversal of its previous aggressive naming overhaul, reinstating the "A4" name and abandoning its earlier decision to rename the gasoline-powered A4 as the A5. The odd-even numbering strategy introduced in 2023—such as rebranding the A4 as A5 and the A6 as A7—caused significant consumer confusion. Global surveys revealed that nearly a quarter of potential buyers struggled to understand the positioning of Audi’s models. Moreover, the new A5 shared its name with the existing A5 coupe, further muddling the market. In China, the A6L retained its original name due to its unique market position, creating additional inconsistency in Audi’s global naming logic. Compounding these issues, Audi’s electrification progress has fallen short of expectations: global sales declined by 11.8% in 2024, with all-electric vehicle sales dropping 8% year-over-year. In response, the new management team has decided to return to the traditional naming system—using letters to denote model families, numbers to indicate vehicle class, and suffixes to clearly specify powertrain types (e.g., TFSI for gasoline models and e-tron for all-electric vehicles). The final naming for the newly unveiled but not-yet-launched midsize sedan remains under evaluation.