An Audi spokesperson confirmed to Auto Express magazine that future cars based on the new Premium Platform Combustion (PPC) architecture will feature "hot tailpipes; functional tailpipes." This change is driven by "customer feedback," indicating widespread disapproval of the faux exhaust tips seen on models like the diesel S5, SQ5, and S6.
The new A5 Sedan, A5 Avant, and their performance-oriented S5 versions will be among the first to implement this update. It remains to be seen whether smaller models on the MQB platform will follow suit, but a cohesive design across Audi's lineup would suggest that real exhaust tips might become standard across all models.
Several other PPC-based models are in the pipeline, including the Q5, A7, and Q7, all of which are expected to adopt the functional exhaust tip design. Additionally, a larger three-row SUV, possibly named the Q9, is anticipated as a competitor to the BMW X7 and Mercedes GLS. The future of the A8 remains uncertain, but if it continues with combustion engines, it will likely be rebranded as the A9.
Audi is also revising its nomenclature, assigning odd numbers to combustion engine vehicles and even numbers to electric vehicles. This change explains the transition from the A4 to the new A5 and the upcoming A6, which will be rebranded as the A7 for models with gasoline and diesel engines. The fully electric A6 and a smaller A4 EV are expected to debut later this decade, possibly after the introduction of a fully electric A8.
Although real exhaust tips are being reinstated for now, Audi's long-term plan is to transition entirely to electric vehicles by 2033. Production of internal combustion engine cars may continue in China based on local demand, but the overall shift towards EVs is set to define Audi's future direction.
Source: Auto Express
