What Audi’s badges really mean

The ever-changing naming conventions of modern-day cars can be incredibly confusing to keep up with, even if you’re one of the more avid enthusiasts.

The mixtures of numbers and letters used to tell you in simple terms what’s under the hood, think “1.9TDI” being short for a 1.9-litre, turbo-diesel motor.

Though as time went by new technologies emerged and emissions regulations made their impact, therefore many automakers decided to change up their old naming schemes with attractive-sounding new monikers that aren’t as straightforward, such as “35 TFSI”.

No, this doesn’t mean that small hatchback in the parking lot has a 3.5-litre, turbo-petrol motor between its front wheels.

What makes it even more complicated is that each manufacturer uses its own model designation system, and no symbols are standardised across the industry.

Audi Power Identification system

The above dilemma has led to various carmakers, particularly Audi, introducing their own “power identification system” so that motorists can better understand what it is they are looking at.

Audi’s revised badging language is applicable to all models launched from quarter four of 2018, except for the high-performance S, RS, and R8 derivatives.

The new power identification system looks like this:

The naming convention describes the power output for internal combustion, hybrid, and electric engines through a double-digit designation and a string of letters.

In the case of petrol, “TFSI” is used, for diesel it’s “TDI”, for hybrid it’s “g-tron”, and for fully-electric it’s “e-tron.”

Regardless of the type of fuel, however, the numbers remain consistent across the various vehicle ranges.

For example; the new e-tron 55 SUV generates 300kW with its two electric motors whereas the A7 Sportback 55 TFSI pushes out 250kW from its 3.0-litre turbo-petrol block, both falling within the 245-319kW bracket that the 55 badge denominates.

According to Audi, “engine displacement as a performance attribute is becoming less important” to its customers, so the new naming scheme makes it easier to know what its vehicles are truly capable of.