Audi introduces a new brand in China without the four-ring logo.
Volkswagen is facing challenges in the Chinese market, but its luxury brand may be able to provide support.
Audi is making a significant shift in its image for the Chinese market, introducing a new logo that omits the brand's famous four-ring emblem. At an event held today in Shanghai, the company unveiled the new “AUDI” logo—simple, in uppercase letters—on the front of a new electric prototype known as the E concept Sportback, which lacks the usual designation “E-Tron.”
Gernot Döllner, CEO of Audi, stated in a press release that the company aims to connect with Chinese consumers who are "more tech-savvy" and "expect cutting-edge connectivity alongside automated driving." An August report revealed that Audi was planning this rebranding in China, where the automaker sold fewer than 10,000 vehicles in the first half of 2024.
According to Audi, the AUDI E concept anticipates three new mid-size and full-size vehicles that will be presented starting in mid-2025. To carry out this initiative, Audi has formed a partnership with SAIC Motors, a Chinese state-owned company, and has appointed Fermín Soneira, who previously led the electric models, as the new CEO of the joint team. Through this collaboration, a new Advanced Digital Platform has been developed, featuring an 800-volt architecture, which serves as the foundation for the E concept.
Soneira, who has 25 years of experience at Volkswagen, Audi's parent company, indicated that the partnership is designed to "jointly organize the development, procurement, production, and sales." Meanwhile, Volkswagen faces challenges in China due to the rise of local manufacturers like BYD, which have captured consumers with more affordable and technologically advanced cars. Additionally, human rights groups have raised concerns about the potential connection between VW's supply chain and forced labor practices linked to the Uyghur Muslim population in Xinjiang.
