Changing model names in the auto industry on the fly is actually a pretty difficult thing. An automaker who decides to adopt a change risks confusing its existing clientele, not to mention future buyers who may end up being turned off by the sheer confusion brought about by the new names. Take Audi, for example. The German automaker announced a new naming structure for all of its models, and all-around confusion has been the overwhelming response to it. As it turns out, Jaguar Land Rover is also planning to adopt a new nomenclature for its models and, wouldn’t you know it, the proposed changes are actually easy to understand.

Word of JLR’s plans come from a reader from Auto Express who spotted a Jaguar F-Type prototype that was wearing a badge reading “P380 AWD.” As it turns out, there’s more to the badge than meets the eye as the alphanumeric combination actually points to a new naming structure that both Jaguar and Land Rover are planning for their respective models. According to Auto Express, it is believed that in the case of the “P380 AWD,” the “P” stands for petrol while the “380” refers to the amount of horsepower the model has. The AWD reference is self-explanatory. In the case of the Range Rover Velar, it is believed that it will adopt the “D180” name, meaning that it’s running on a diesel engine and has 180 horsepower on tap. Likewise, the range-topping unit will also feature a “P380” nomenclature based on the model having the same engine and output as the F-Type. Even Jaguar’s upcoming electric vehicles will adopt the same naming strategy, including the Jaguar I-Pace, which is reportedly getting badged as the “E400.” And as far as Land Rover’s various hybrid models are concerned, the thought process would be for them to get “H” badges.

Auto Express

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Oh, Audi. Why couldn’t you have come up with an easier naming structure? I understand the rationale behind it, but the final offering made telling the difference between models all the more confusing. Apparently, Audi’s goal in this name overhaul is to do away with using engine size as part of the name and instead using the car’s power output in kilowatts to differentiate itself from other variants of the same model. More to that, the new naming strategy involves designating a “number” to classify power ranges in kilowatts.

For example, cars that will wear the “30” name produce between 81 kW to 96 kW (108 horsepower to 128 horsepower). These numbers are then staged in increments of five so the next number is 35, which will be used on models with outputs between 110 kW and 120 kW (145 horsepower and 159 horsepower). The numbering system goes on until it reaches “70” for models with more than 400 kW (529 horsepower) on tap.

The end result is new model names like the Audi A3 30 TDI, the Audi A8 50 TDI, and well, you get the picture. Or do you? If you need a simple cheat sheet to understand how the classifications are broken down, check the table out below.

If you’re still confused, I don’t blame you. Unlike JLR’s straightforward approach, Audi’s new naming strategy is going take a lot of getting used to. And even with the passing of time, there are no guarantees that all of us can fully understand it.

All this though isn’t to say that Audi completely messed up with this endeavor. IN fairness, the move was done with the best of intentions as Audi was, among other reasons, trying to find a unified way to rank powertrains instead of displacements, which is not only inaccurate in telling the difference between gas and diesel engines, but is also downright irrelevant when it comes to electric and hybrid powertrains. That said, Jaguar Land Rover found a way to make all of that work while still keeping it in a plane that’s easy to understand. I don’t know if Audi is going to revisit this anytime soon, but if I were the German automaker, I would be looking for a way to make the new naming structure easier to comprehend.

References

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