According to Audi’s CEO, current models will keep their names until they’re electrified or put out to pasture. An all-new model presents the perfect opportunity for Audi to move away from the number 4, which will then only be applied to electric vehicles like the Q4 e-tron.
The A5 moniker will be combined with all the existing nomenclatures, like allroad, Sportback, Coupe, and Convertible. Audi might even decide to ditch the coupe and convertible, as these kinds of vehicles have fallen out of favor with the consumer in recent years. Mercedes has ditched several coupe and drop-top models, opting to build one new replacement called the CLE.
The fact that we’ve only seen the Avant (wagon) and Sportback out in the wild also indicates that Audi might have given up on drop-tops and coupes.