Audi abandoned 2023 naming scheme that used odd numbers for combustion engines and even numbers for EVs after customer and dealer confusionNew A5 replaced A4 under old system but keeps A5 name under new system, while upcoming A6 will share nameplate across both combustion and electric versionsTraditional size-based numbering returns with TFSI and e-tron badges differentiating powertrains, though existing models keep current names with no retroactive changes Audi's Naming Confusion Timeline Audi introduced a new naming convention in 2023 that seemed straightforward: odd numbers for combustion engines, even numbers for electric vehicles. The A4 became the A5. The A6 was supposed to become the A7 for combustion versions, leaving even numbers like A4, A6, Q4, Q6, Q8 for EVs. The logic made sense on paper—clear differentiation between powertrains at a glance. Two years later, Audi has completely abandoned this system and returned to the original approach. Numbers now represent size and positioning regardless of powertrain, exactly like they did before 2023. The A6 will be called A6 whether it's combustion or electric. The A5 stays the A5 despite being the A4's replacement. Confused yet? You should be, because Audi managed to create more confusion while attempting to eliminate confusion. Marco Schubert, Audi's board member for sales and marketing, explained that the decision came from intensive discussions and customer feedback. Translation: nobody understood it, dealers couldn't explain it, and potential buyers were walking out of showrooms more confused than when they arrived. When your naming system requires a flowchart to understand, you've failed. The problem is Audi has no plans for retroactive name changes on existing models. The 2025 A5 sedan, which replaced the A4, keeps its A5 name under the new system despite not having a two-door coupe variant like the previous A5. The upcoming combustion A6 debuts March 4th and will share its name with the A6 e-tron EV already on sale. Same name, different powertrains, differentiated only by TFSI or e-tron badges on the back. What Actually Changes Going Forward Audi's "new" system is actually the old system reinstated. Numbers represent vehicle size on a scale of 1-8. A-prefix denotes sedans, coupes, convertibles, and wagons. Q-prefix means SUVs. Electric vehicles get e-tron badges, combustion engines get TFSI badges, diesels in Europe get TDI. Simple, except for all the models already launched under the abandoned odd-even system that keep their current names. The Q6 e-tron already uses this simplified approach—no confusing double-digit power output designations like "55 TFSI" or "40 TDI" that Audi previously plastered on trunk lids. Future models will follow suit, though Audi hasn't confirmed whether they'll completely eliminate the power output numbers from marketing materials and configurators or just remove them from exterior badging. This marks Audi's second major naming system reversal in recent years. They introduced the double-digit output-based system in 2017, abandoned it starting with the Q8 e-tron in 2024, then tried the odd-even powertrain split in 2023, and now they're back to size-based numbering in 2025. If you're keeping score at home, that's three different naming philosophies in eight years, which suggests Audi's marketing department has trouble committing to decisions. The reality is Audi tried solving a problem that didn't need solving. Having an A6 with combustion and an A6 e-tron with electric power wasn't confusing as the e-tron badge clearly differentiated them. Creating an entirely new naming structure, launching it halfway through a product cycle, then abandoning it two years later created far more confusion than the original "problem" ever did. Sometimes the simplest solution is leaving things alone, but that doesn't justify marketing department salaries or give executives projects to champion at board meetings. The new A6 combustion debuts March 4th alongside the existing A6 e-tron, marking the official start of Audi's return to sanity. Whether they stick with this system for more than two years remains to be seen, but given their track record, start preparing for the next naming overhaul around 2027.
