Audi was the first luxury automaker to enter China in 1988, six years before BMW and 17 years ahead of Mercedes. It didn’t take long for the trio to discover that Chinese customers prefer more spacious cars with roomier back seats. They all adapted by stretching the wheelbases of their global models for the locally manufactured versions. Since then, Western brands have launched a myriad of China-only models, including long-wheelbase SUVs.
With help from SAIC, Audi has taken things to the next level by setting up a separate car brand specifically for the Chinese market. The recently founded AUDI, spelled out in capital letters and without the iconic Four Rings, sells two models in China that you can’t get anywhere else. The wagon-esque E5 Sportback led the way before the E7X SUV arrived, and a new sedan is also on the way.
