They did cancel that for whatever reason.

https://www.audiworld.com/articles/audi-odd-even-naming-strategy-ditched-after-just-two-years/

 

They did cancel that for whatever reason.

Audi management has too many cooks spoiling the broth, and they’d end up with too many chefs and not enough cooks.

 

Thanks for that. I missed it.

 

From a marketing standpoint, trying to introduce a new naming convention for a brand's electric cars doesn't make sense, in my opinion. Audi eventually returned to the A and Q designations with the "e-tron" suffix. However, their attempt to reclassify their models failed. The A4 has always been a sedan and the A5 a coupe; why change that?
Volkswagen, from what I understand, is also set to modify its naming scheme. What is an ID.3? It only creates confusion. But if they had named their cars ID.Golf, ID.Polo, ID.Passat, or ID.Tiguan from the beginning, everyone would have an idea of what they were dealing with. Additionally, these names would carry the positive associations of established brands that have existed for decades.
Mercedes has also gone back to the naming convention everyone knows, as shown by the new "C-Class with EQ Technology" instead of something like EQC.

 

I think it's also added confusion because historically higher numbers meant more premium. I watched a Q6 review prior to purchasing and the reviewer complained that the Q6 didn't really feel any more premium than the Q5. Which of course it should not. Now obviously a car reviewer should have that knowledge, and this one did not, but if someone who should have the information does not it's probably too much to ask a normal person to also know that.

 

Some car reviewers are good and some are not so good. Ultimately it’s the price of the vehicle that tells you where it fits in the lineup. Bigger usually costs more.

 

I just hope potential buyers do their homework. The ICE version is likely to have more features than the EV version due to the cost of the battery. A buyer should not expect the EV will be equivalently equipped!

 

Wasn't the Q8 an ICE car to begin with? I mean before the e-tron.

 

Yes it was. Then they created the Q8 etron. Then they got rid of it. It will probably be back with some other name. Why don’t they just slap an E on any vehicle thats electric and quit this naming nonsense. I’m fine with Q being suv and A being sedan. The number should represent vehicle size. Q1 would be the smallest vehicle and Q10 would be largest.

Since Q5 existed before Q6, and they are the same vehicle except for powertrain, just have the Q5, Q5E, etc. This makes it easy for new powertrains to be incorporated.

Example -
Q5H - runs on hydrogen
Q5A - runs on air
Q5F - runs on flatulence

 

e-tron
Gen1 2019-22

Audi e-tron 55 quattro (2019) | Audi MediaCenter

www.audi-mediacenter.com

Audi e-tron Sportback (2019) | Audi MediaCenter

www.audi-mediacenter.com

Gen2 Q8 2022-25

The Audi Q8 e-tron (until 2025)

The Audi e-tron has been setting standards in the electric SUV luxury class category since 2018; its sales successes have made the e-tron brand famous the world over. In the spring of 2023, the new Audi Q8 e-tron will continue the success story of the electric pioneer under a new name – as the...

www.audi-mediacenter.com

ICE
Gen1 Q8 2019 >

Plug-in hybrid rounds off Q8 product line: The Audi Q8 TFSI e quattro

Electric range of up to 59 kilometers (36.7 mi) in the NEDC (47 kilometers (29.2 mi) in the WLTP cycle), a sporty character, and great everyday usability: Audi is presenting the Q8 with plug-in hybrid drive. The new model closes the last gap in the Q8 range and provides an innovative combination...

www.audi-mediacenter.com

The new Audi RS Q8: the most sporty Q

The Audi RS Q8 (combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 12.1 (19.4 US mpg); combined CO2 emissions in g/km*: 277 - 276 (445.8 – 444.2 g/mi))is the new top model of the Q product line. It combines the performance of an RS model with the elegance of a premium coupé and the flexibility of an SUV...

www.audi-mediacenter.com

 

Audi should have kept the old naming convention that is based on the ICE, and the EV version adds e-tron after it. Also, I like the old 50, 55, etc., which identifies the drivetrain and power of the vehicle. No, guessing around. At least, they kept the "quattro" nomenclature.

 

The original plan was for the "Quattro" e tron be retired when a version based on the PPE platform is introduced. That PPE version would be called the Q8. COVID and the CARIAD disasters upset those plans. The current Q8 e tron was actually meant to be the last of the "Quattro" models. However, since the PPE plans got pushed way out, Audi decided to name it the Q8 instead of a Quattro. Stopping production of the MLB-evo based Q8 made seriously good business sense--the Brussels plant was shut down and that was the only location tooled for the MLB-evo platform. I am guessing that the Q8 on PPE is pretty far along, but Audi wants to pace the introduction of new models--maybe from the feedback they have gotten, they might be replacing all the haptic touch sensors with actual buttons! I would pay for that!

 

Maybe they will ditch the piano black plastic as well. More importantly they should make sure the software is more reliable than the Q6. Customers should not be the beta testers.

 

Q6 was the top selling Audi in the USA last quarter. I know the EV tax credit was ending but still that's impressive for it to outsell the Q5!

 

In all fairness to the Q5, the new Q5 came out much later than the Q6. This meant dealers were stuck with old model Q5 that nobody wanted and a dwindling number of the new Q5 which was in short supply. This over abundance of Q6 on the lots, dealer discounting to push them out and the 7500 credit created a perfect storm for Q6 sales.

I predict next quarter sales of Q6 won’t be so nice once more people broadcast their discontent and a general softening of the EV market.