Audi's 2023 "A4 to A5" renaming move has now been personally labeled a "wrong move" by CEO Gernot Döllner, who plans to revert to the original name with the facelift. This two-year naming farce is like an old friend suddenly adopting a unfamiliar name—leaving existing owners without a sense of belonging, confusing new consumers, and inundating dealers with inquiry calls. It just goes to show that a model name is never a random combination of letters and numbers; it is the key to communication between a brand and the market, holding the crucial code to user emotions and brand equity.

A model name is first and foremost the product's "identity card"

After years of hard work, the Audi A4 has long been associated with the clear positioning of a "mid-size luxury gasoline-powered vehicle," carrying the driving memories of tens of millions of users and the sales foundation cultivated by dealers. Forcing a change to A5 is equivalent to abruptly severing this emotional connection—consumers can't tell if it's a new A4 or a derivative of the existing A5 coupe; existing owners feel their beloved cars are "misnamed," and new users become more confused when choosing a vehicle. The data doesn't lie: after the rule took effect, dealer inquiries increased by 42%, 23% of consumers couldn't distinguish between models, global sales dropped by 11.8% in 2024, and electric vehicle sales fell by 8%. This renaming directly "broke the communication" between the brand and the market.

On a deeper level, a model name is a "piggy bank" for brand equity

A successful name evolves into an intangible asset of the brand over time. Just as "911" is to Porsche and "Corolla" is to Toyota, these names have long transcended the products themselves to become symbols of brand spirit. The Audi A4 has gone through multiple generations of iterations, and the three letters "A4" embody technological accumulation, quality reputation, and market share. Forcing a renaming is like throwing away decades of accumulated assets and starting from scratch to educate the market—both costly and dilutive to consumers' brand awareness. Worse still, the A6L in the Chinese market was not renamed simultaneously, resulting in a fragmented global naming system that further weakened brand consistency.

Audi's original logic of "letters + numbers for level classification and suffixes for power types" was simple, understandable, and deeply rooted in consumers' minds. The 2023 rule of "odd numbers for gasoline-powered vehicles and even numbers for electric vehicles" not only broke consumers' inherent cognition but also divorced from reality—people buy cars based on level, performance, and price, not just power type. This kind of "rule for the sake of rules" adjustment was ultimately met with a cold reception from the market.

Audi's lesson is a practical reference for Chinese brands accelerating their overseas expansion. In global layout, model naming is directly related to the ability to quickly integrate into target markets and build trust. The following points deserve special attention:

1、Maintain a stable and unified naming system, avoiding arbitrary changes

Whether it's "letters + numbers," "Chinese transliteration + positioning," or "functional naming," consistency should be maintained across global markets to avoid confusion like Audi's. For example, BYD's "Dynasty Series" and "Ocean Series" have clear and long-term stable logic, conveying Chinese culture while being easy to remember.

2、Avoid the "duplication trap" and cognitive deviations

We must steer clear of the pitfall Audi fell into when the new A5 duplicated the name of the existing A5 coupe. Before naming, conduct comprehensive research on existing models in the target market to avoid names that are too similar to one's own or competitors' products; at the same time, the name should align with the product positioning to prevent user misunderstandings.

3、Adapt to local culture and language

Different countries have different linguistic habits and taboos, so multilingual testing is necessary to avoid homophonic ambiguities or cultural offenses. For example, the English name "Crider" for Honda's "Lingpai" has no negative connotations in English and is smooth to pronounce—this combination of transliteration and localization is very reliable.

4、Balance recognition and communicability

Names should be concise, easy to remember, and catchy. Avoid overly complex letter combinations or obscure words, as they will increase market education costs. At the same time, the name should fit the brand tone: high-end brands can choose words with a sense of texture, while new energy brands can emphasize a sense of technology and environmental protection.

5、Bind brand equity and strengthen user connection

Naming can incorporate core brand values or cultural genes, making the name part of the brand story. For example, NIO's "ES" and "ET" series not only reflect electrification attributes but also maintain consistency, accumulating assets with each product iteration.

Audi A4's eventual decision to "return to tradition" is not just a naming adjustment, but a brand's respect for market laws. A model name is never an insignificant code; it is the first touchpoint for communication between a brand and users, and an anchor for market cognition. The overseas journey of Chinese brands is not easy—a successful model name can serve as a "stepping stone," while a hasty naming decision may undo years of layout. Only by respecting the market, respecting users, and following the logic of brand development can a model name become a "plus" in the global journey, helping Chinese automobiles gain a firm foothold on the world stage.