What to make of the handsome new AUDI E concept, equipped with the knowledge that this is a car designed explicitly for the Chinese market? Not only that, the E is the first sight of what will be known as AUDI, a separate sub-brand to Germany’s Audi that blends innovation and expertise from both long-standing car cultures.
As we recently noted when talking about the Volkswagen Passat, the VW Group was an early adopter when it came to working hand in hand with the nascent Chinese auto industry. Audi’s relationship with the country dates back to 1988, when it was considered the country’s first ever premium brand. Today, SAIC Volkswagen builds just three Audi models out in China, the A7L, Q5 e-tron and Q6. That’s a marked difference to the 18 models currently listed in the UK (although a serious audit is in process).
AUDI, on the other hand, looks set to break free from the etymological knots the parent company has tied itself up into in recent years, with Qs and Rs and RSs and e-trons and other confusing shifts in naming strategy. Although naming the new brand AUDI – without any sign of the four-ring logo – seems like fuel for more confusion, the company is clearly hoping to cut through the noise. The Chinese market’s hunger for technology is also driven by the understanding that most new innovation comes from the home market, rather than imported brands.
Revealed at an event in early November 2024, the AUDI E concept is a large crossover with sober surfacing, minimal branding and a strong, planted stance. Size-wise it sits between the A5 Avant and A6 Avant models available in other markets, but the pure electric drivetrain allows for more interior space.
Visually, the AUDI E has more in common with the smooth surfacing and more overtly Bauhaus-inspired design of the parent brand around the turn of the century, when cars like the Audi TT were reinvigorating its design language and influence. Inside, too, the AUDI E represents a departure, with a clear split in the cabin between screens and lower surfaces, emphasised by a shift from light to dark materials, including architecturally-inspired illuminated wood and microfibre details on the doors.
The interior is described as ‘a stylish, comfortable, and connected oasis fit for the urban lifestyle in China’s megacities,’ and includes an AI avatar, the AUDI Assistant, that occupies the centre of the 4K screens, with a design that gives ‘emotional feedback when interacting.’
The emphasis on ‘China-specific technology’ includes more driver assistance than can be legally deployed in the West, without losing sight of the performance and dynamics that has always characterised this premium brand. The company cites a range of 700km (434 miles) using the country’s rather optimistic CLTC (China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle) criteria.
The concept was co-developed in Ingolstadt and the Beijing Design Studio and previews a range of three cars that’ll be introduced in China from the middle of next year, all using the new Advanced Digitized Platform.
