New electric Audi models could ditch four-ring badge in China

A new range of electric-powered Audi models to be produced in China for the local market will be sold without the company’s iconic four-ring badge.

The move, claimed to be acknowledged by sources with knowledge of the German firm’s future model activities, comes as Audi prepares to reveal the first of the China-market cars, which are being developed in partnership with SAIC.

News of Audi’s plans to launch China-market models without its traditional four-ring badge was initially reported by Reuters.

Audi declined to comment on the report, though a statement by SAIC said the jointly developed models would be “true Audi with authentic Audi DNA”.

Audi and SAIC signed a co-operation agreement on 20 May 2024, saying they planned to develop and produce an “advanced digital platform” and “smart electric vehicles” as an extension of their existing joint-venture operations, headquartered in Anting, China.

In a project operated under the codename Purple, Audi and SAIC are claimed to be developing up to nine individual models – some of which are said to be influenced by the Skysphere, Grandsphere, Urbansphere and Activesphere concept cars revealed by Audi in 2021 and 2022.

The basis for the new electric-powered Audis is the most advanced version of SAIC’s Nebula platform, as used by models from the IM Motor brand, including the LS6, LS6, L7 und LS7.

IM Motors was founded in 2020 by SAIC, Zhangjiang Hi-Tech and the Alibaba Group as a luxury electric vehicle brand, with SAIC being the majority shareholder.

The Nebula platform supports both 400V and 800V electric architectures as well as wheelbases ranging between 2692mm and 3099mm.

At this stage, it is not known which identifying details the new Audi models will feature. However, Autocar has been told the first in a series of EVs developed with SAIC will be unveiled in concept car form at the Guangzhou motor show in November, prior to going on sale in the second half of 2025.

Audi’s four-ring badge has its origins in German car maker Auto Union, an amalgamation of four German automobile manufacturers – Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer – that was founded in 1932.