There was a lot of drama surrounding Audi, FCA, and the Q2 and Q4 names. Back in January, Audi and FCA squashed the drama with Audi taking the rights to the two names. We don’t know what Audi traded off to get the rights, but it didn’t waste any time bringing a Q2 to the market, with the crossover making its official debut at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show. Now, according to Auto Express it looks like Audi is about to break out the Q4 name as well, as the company has officially filed for fresh trademark protection for the name.

While little is really known about the Q4 at this point, it’s expected to have a close resemblance to the TT Offroad Concept that we saw back at the 2014 Beijing Auto Show. Oddly, this trademark also coincides with the announcement from Samsung SDI stating that it is investing in a battery plant that is near the TT factory. This reinforces the idea that the Q4 could potentially come as a plug-in hybrid using batteries supplied by Samsung SDI after that announcement that it is teaming up with LG to supply batteries for upcoming EV vehicles.

For the record, Audi has also owned the SQ4 name since 2013, so it’s quite possible that we’ll also see a high-performance variant of the Q4 at some point in the future as well. Either way, expect the Q4 to pop up sooner than later, and to compete against the likes of the BMW X4 and the Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe. This could get interesting.

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Why it Matters

In the end, it’s only right that FCA gives up the Q2 and Q4 names given Audi’s obsession with the letter/number naming combination. FCA was originally planning to use the Q2 and Q4 names as descriptors for drivetrain components. It would be interesting to know what Audi traded off to get the names, but at least now Audi can fulfill its “Q” lineup with a Q4. It will be a good answer to BMW’s X4 and Merc’s GLC. Now, it’s just a matter as to when we’ll actually see the model take shape. Considering it will draw inspiration from the TT Offroad Concept, it could turn out to be a nice looking ride and will slot in nicely below the upcoming Q6 e-tron.