Audi presents key debuts for China at Auto Guangzhou
- Premieres for the Q6L e-tron and A5L: Audi and FAW to unveil the production versions for the first time
- Audi and SAIC to show the recently introduced AUDI E concept
- Audi CEO Gernot Döllner: “Together with our partners FAW and SAIC, we are launching a major product initiative to strengthen our position on the Chinese market.”
Auto Guangzhou in southern China is set to delight visitors with some impressive premieres: Audi and its local partners are showcasing three product highlights exclusively for the Chinese market at this year’s fair. The Audi Q6L e-tron will be presented at the FAW stand shortly before its market launch as the first locally produced vehicle based on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE). The A5L, successor to the A4L, will also be on display. At the SAIC stand, visitors can expect to see the recently presented AUDI E concept and the sister brand AUDI, written in capital letters. This model embodies intelligent and connected electric vehicles that are being jointly developed by Audi and SAIC specifically for China. Audi is positioning itself in China with its two-partner strategy. Collaborating with the local car manufacturers FAW and SAIC, Audi is developing customized vehicles for the Chinese market.
FAW Audi will be showcasing two new cars at its stand, both representing the latest platform technologies from Audi. Shortly before its market launch, the Audi Q6L e-tron will be presented as the first locally produced vehicle based on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE). Starting at the end of December it will be produced exclusively for the Chinese market by the Audi FAW NEV Company founded by Audi and FAW. For that purpose, the joint venture has built a new production site in Changchun to manufacture fully electric Audi models. The Audi Q6L e-tron differs from the international model made in Ingolstadt not only with its traditionally longer wheelbase, but also with numerous design features and market-specific innovations geared towards the Chinese market. And the interior of the Q6L e-tron, which can be seen for the first time at the fair, impresses with a digital experience also developed especially for China. Overall, the inside of the Audi Q6L e-tron is more comprehensively tailored to the needs of Chinese customers than ever before.
The FAW stand will also present the successor to the long-standing Chinese bestseller Audi A4L with a new model designation: the Audi A5L follows the new Audi international naming system, which differentiates the model numbers for electric vehicles versus the classic models. As a combustion vehicle, the A5L is based on the Premium Platform Combustion (PPC).
The extended wheelbase of the A5L creates a significantly enhanced feeling of spaciousness while keeping the signature dynamic proportions. Individual designs at the front and rear – such as the illuminated rings – ensure an unmistakable appearance. As with the Q6L e-tron, the interior of the A5L features impressive market-specific options such as illuminated door mirrors and high-tech solutions, for example in the display and operating concept.
Capturing attention at the SAIC stand: the AUDI E concept
There will also be a trade fair premiere from the collaboration between Audi and SAIC: the AUDI E concept will be displayed to the general public for the first time. It is the first concept car from the expanded cooperation between Audi and SAIC, which made its debut in Shanghai on November 7, 2024. The close-to-production vehicle provides a preview of three production models of the AUDI brand that Audi will launch together with partner SAIC starting in 2025. Fermín Soneira, long-standing head of the electrically powered model series at Audi, is leading the partnership. The AUDI E concept is a Sportback measuring 4.87 meters long and 1.99 meters wide. Two electric motors with 570 kW and quattro all-wheel drive ensure outstanding driving dynamics. Even more important is the combination of Audi DNA with the digital expertise of partner SAIC – offering the best of both worlds. This fusion makes the AUDI E concept a unique entity in the demanding Chinese market and is aimed specifically at new, tech-savvy customer segments. Tennis player Zheng Qinwen, who won gold at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, is a brand ambassador for AUDI.
Strong positioning and a model initiative for Audi in China
In addition to being the largest single market for Audi, China is also the region where the transformation to electric mobility and digitization is progressing the most dynamically worldwide. Audi CEO Gernot Döllner emphasizes: “Our positioning in China is a key field of action of our ‘Audi Agenda,’ which we are using to prepare the company for the future in the face of tougher global competition.” Audi has been successfully represented on the Chinese market for 36 years. “Our goal is to continue to play a leading role in the premium market in China. And to achieve that, together with our partners, we are expanding our product portfolio with a major model initiative.”
That is clear from the presence of Audi and its long-standing Chinese partners, FAW and SAIC, at Auto Guangzhou 2024. Together they each offer a specific portfolio of vehicles for the world’s largest single market – “in China, for China.” “Together with our joint venture partners, we have prepared an exceptional model lineup. In addition, we are showcasing our new premium EV brand AUDI and its first concept model: the AUDI E concept,” says Audi China President Johannes Roscheck. “This proves that our two-partner strategy is progressing as planned and is enabling us to reinforce our commitment to ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’.”
