Audi Gets its Hands on the Rights to Use the Q2 and Q4 Names

Audi crosslane coupé concept car (Credit: © Audi)

Audi and FCA have been battling back and forth for years regarding the Q2 and Q4 names. Audi wanted them for use on upcoming crossovers, but FCA owned them and had no interest in giving them up. I guess the two automakers finally came to some sort of an agreement, as FCA has finally agreed to transfer the two names to the German automaker.

According to Audi CEO Rupert Stadler, via Autoblog, it secured the two trademarks without paying a penny to FCA. Instead, the two “each found something we needed.” Reading between the lines, this seems to mean that Audi had a trademark that FCA badly wanted, so Audi offered it as trade bait. Stadler said that the two agreed not to discuss what Audi gave FCA in return for the two names.

This is quite a dramatic change of stance for FCA, as it has previously denied Audi the rights to the names. In fact, Stadler said that FCA specifically told him, “No, never.” Luckily Stadler is a persistent executive who knows how to get what he wants and knows that in the world of business, there is no such thing as never.

Now that Audi has the rights to the names, it can finally complete its crossover lineup, which should, at some point, include models ranging from the Q1 to the Q9. The Q4 name, which FCA used to indicate all-wheel drive on its Ghibli and Quattroporte, will soon be attached to a crossover coupe. The Q2 name, on the other hand, will move from denoting FCA’s limited-slip differentials to a new city crossover based on the MQB platform – the same platform as the VW Tiguan.

We should see the new Q2 sometime this year, but the reveal of the Q4 remains uncertain. We’ll bring you the latest details as they become available, so keep it locked here.