Audi announces the division of its business in China: FAW will handle the traditional models and SAIC will manage the AUDI electric brand.
27/10/2026 14:30
Updated to
27/10/2026 14:30
Until now, China had two companies selling cars with Audi’s four-ring logo, the premium brand of Volkswagen Group, each partnering with a different local partner. That overlap is coming to an end following agreements Audi recently signed separately with FAW and SAIC to clarify each party’s role.
The division puts FAW Audi in charge of the four-ring brand, while SAIC Audi focuses on AUDI, a sister brand created specifically for the Chinese market that uses uppercase letters instead of its usual logo. The German company maintains its formula of two brands and two partners but aims to make faster decisions in a market where Chinese electric vehicle brands are encroaching on its territory.
Rings for FAW, letters for SAIC
According to Audi China’s statement, FAW will strengthen the presence of these four brands in both electric and internal combustion vehicles, while SAIC Audi will focus solely on the AUDI brand and only electric cars. It should be noted that this division is based on brands rather than technology, so FAW Audi will also continue to compete with Chinese brands in the electric vehicle sector.
Audi has confirmed it will continue expanding its four-wheel drive lineup with FAW, including electric models such as the A6L e-tron and Q6L e-tron, as well as new generations of the A5L and A6L—long-wheelbase versions produced for China. In theory, FAW Audi uses two technical platforms: the PPE platform for electric vehicles, shared with Porsche, and the PPC platform for internal combustion engine models.
A transition by the end of 2027
The transition won’t happen suddenly. SAIC Audi will be able to continue selling four-wheel models until the end of 2027, and after-sales service for those cars as well as new AUDI models will operate normally. Their current catalog includes the A5L Sportback, A7L, Q6, and Q5 e-tron. What Audi hasn’t specified is what will happen to those dealerships once the deadline passes. Chinese media suggest that FAW Audi will initially take over serving current customers of those models while respecting the dealerships’ rights.
AUDI, the wheelless brand preparing four models
AUDI made its debut in November 2024, and its first production car, the E5 Sportback, went on sale in September 2025 at 235,900 yuan, approximately 30,700 euros. This year in May, the AUDI E7X arrived as its first SUV. It measures 5,049 millimeters in length, comes standard with a 900-volt electric architecture using CATL batteries, and promises up to 751 kilometers of range, with 429 kilometers of range achievable after just 10 minutes of charging. Its price starts at 269,800 yuan, around 35,100 euros.
New leader and a challenge for SAIC
The appointment coincides with a leadership change at Audi China. Jeff Zhang, who was previously an executive at Chery, will replace Johannes Roscheck as president on November 1. He is no stranger to the company, having worked at Audi China from 2018 to 2020 and helping to establish SAIC Audi’s sales network. Organizing the brands should prevent overlap between the two partners, though the outcome will depend on how well the dealers coordinate during the transition and on sales performance for future AUDI models. The challenge is significant for SAIC, as third-party data published in China show that these four-wheel models sold over 12,500 units in the first seven months of the year—nearly half of everything SAIC Audi sold.