Audi scrapping confusing “power number” denominators

Although set to overhaul its model line-up within the next 12 months, Audi has announced it will start the process early by phasing-out the confusing “power group” denoting monikers introduced seven years ago.

What they mean

Succeeding the previous engine displacement indicators, the numbers varied from 30 to 70 as a means of symbolising outputs figures from 81 kW and up.

In detail, the numbers represented the following:

• 30: 81-96 kW
• 35: 110-125 kW
• 40: 125-150 kW
• 45: 169-185 kW
• 50: 210-230 kW
• 60: 320-340 kW
• 70: more than 400 kW

Accompanied by the TFSI or TDI suffix depending on the fuel type, the structure has, however, proved frustrating and confusing with buyers misinterpreting the nomenclature as the size of engine rather than digits supposedly associated with power figures.

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“As alternative drive technologies become increasingly relevant, engine displacement as a performance attribute is becoming less important to our customers, “Audi’s former Head of Sales and Marketing, Dietmar Voggenreiter, said in a statement in 2017.

“The clarity and logic of structuring the designations according to power output makes it possible to distinguish between the various performance levels”.

No more confusion

Addressing Britain’s Auto Express on the sidelines of the unveiling of the Q6 e-tron on Monday evening, Voggenreiter’s successor, Florian Hauser, admitted the brand wants to make its model line-up easier to customers as it heads towards complete electrification in 2030.  

“When we talk about simplicity we don’t just talk about the options and the configuration process. We are really thinking of getting the leanest engine programme for the Q6 which still refers to our customer demands,” Hauser said.

He also added, “If you think about what’s coming next, when we talk about rear-wheel drive it’s just a Q6. For smaller and bigger batteries we could think about a suffix behind the ‘6’ – for example ‘Performance.’ So we don’t need the numbers anymore, so we won’t show them”.

What will happen though…

The change in badging won’t expand to the brand’s changing of how it will power its upcoming generation of ‘A’ models.

In this regard, all even numbered models; A4, A6 and A8, will become fully electric, while the oddly numbered A3, A5 and A7 will remain combustion engine powered with likely electrification in the form of mild-hybrid or plug-in hybrid capability.

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