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udi has, yet again, revised its naming convention for its models. This is likely to please customers who found the previous system confusing, especially with the present-day line-up of electric vehicles. The new simplified naming structure includes a letter — A for low-floor platform cars, S for the performance variants and Q for SUVs — followed by the model number. Importantly, this model number will remain the same regardless of the powertrain, whether it is electric or internal combustion. This change will help simplify model comparisons for customers when choosing a car. Additionally, Audi’s traditional body style names, Avant (estate car), Sedan (saloon) and Sportback (somewhere between the two — like a coupé/hatchback hybrid), will tell you the shape of the car.
The A6 model is the first to adopt this new nomenclature. Part of the model line is the recently released A6 Sportback e-tron, which, if you’ve been paying attention to the above, indicates it’s a full-size model with a sloping, sporty rear end and is powered by an electric motor. At present 20 per cent of all Audis in the UK are electric, and they will be hoping this big executive class car will help further increase that. The single-motor version has a 383-mile range, and a Performance version, where the moniker is slightly confusingly related to the range (it’s actually a little slower), has a larger battery with a 463-mile range. Of course, being Audi, there will also be a Quattro four-wheel-drive version with twin motors.
