Audi has spent decades making its four-ring badge one of the most recognizable symbols in the automotive world. Its latest problem, strangely enough, involves another automaker carrying almost exactly the same name.
That automaker is AUDI, written entirely in capital letters and conspicuously missing the famous four rings. Created for China through Audi’s partnership with SAIC, the electric-only brand was never supposed to become a familiar sight on European roads.
Someone in Germany apparently had other ideas. Cars developed specifically for Chinese buyers have found their way back to Audi’s home market, creating the bizarre situation of Audi trying to keep AUDI out of Germany.
According to German business publication Automobilwoche, the company has now escalated the matter beyond expressing its displeasure. Legal proceedings are underway against the importer responsible.
Audi Wants AUDI To Stay In China
German importer Auto China had been offering the AUDI E5 Sportback and E7X, two electric models developed by Audi and SAIC specifically for China. The company imports vehicles into Germany and handles the necessary homologation and registration process.
Audi wants those parallel imports stopped. A spokesperson told Automobilwoche that the automaker had “initiated legal proceedings against the importer” and would “rigorously enforce” its rights.
Both AUDI models have since disappeared from Auto China’s website, although the importer declined to say whether the reason for that was Audi’s legal action. The company continues to advertise other Chinese-market vehicles, including models from Xiaomi, Zeekr, and Jetour.
AUDI Isn’t Simply Another Audi
Despite the nearly identical name, AUDI was deliberately created as a separate proposition. Audi and SAIC launched the China-focused EV brand to target younger, technology-oriented customers, giving its cars distinctive styling and ditching the traditional four-ring emblem.
That separation becomes much messier when those vehicles arrive in Germany. European buyers can suddenly encounter cars carrying the AUDI name despite them having no official place within Audi’s European lineup or dealer network.
There is also the possibility of these imports competing with Audi’s own electric models. However, the bigger issue seems to be what happens after someone actually buys one.
Keeping An AUDI Running Could Be Tricky
Auto China reportedly says it can handle homologation, registration, warranty coverage, and service support. Audi argues that AUDI models imported this way are not distributed through an authorized channel and are effectively treated as non-Audi vehicles outside China.
That means an authorized European Audi dealer cannot necessarily maintain one like an A6 e-tron or Q6 e-tron. Software, diagnostic systems, replacement components, and sophisticated driver-assistance hardware could become serious complications over years of ownership.
Getting a China-market EV registered in Germany is therefore only part of the problem, as supporting a highly connected vehicle designed around an entirely different market could prove very difficult.
Audi Versus AUDI Is As Weird As It Sounds
Audi’s position makes sense from a business and aftersales perspective. The company created AUDI for a specific market and understandably wants control over where those vehicles are sold and supported.
The distinction between Audi and AUDI might make perfect sense inside Volkswagen Group, but explaining why your Audi dealer cannot service your AUDI sounds like the beginning of an automotive comedy sketch.