Audi Sues To Block AUDI Imports To Europe And Now My Head Hurts

We live in a strange world these days for a number of reasons, the least of which is that there are now two different Audis that are pretty much unrelated to each other. One is only for China, and one is for the rest of the world (and China). As it turns out, China's Audi — stylized AUDI — has broken containment, and the four-rings Audi we're all familiar with is none too pleased.

The China-only electric vehicles have reportedly started showing up in Europe thanks to German importer Auto China, according to Motor1. Now, the Volkswagen Group is trying to stop the parallel imports of the AUDI E5 Sportback and E7X — two vehicles jointly developed by Audi and SAIC specifically for China. You won't find the four rings anywhere on them, but you will apparently find them in Germany.

Auto China has been bringing the two models over, homologating them, and offering them for sale to local customers. Western Audi isn't thrilled, so much so that it has taken legal action to block the imports, and a spokesperson for the automaker told German business newspaper Automobilwoche that "we have initiated legal proceedings against the importer and will rigorously enforce our rights."

While it might seem a bit confusing as to why Audi would take legal action to stop the import of its own vehicles, it does make some sense. AUDI vehicles are meant to appeal to a different sort of buyer in China than traditional Audis: younger, more "tech-savvy customers," as Motor1 explains. They look far different than normal Audis both inside and out, and the issues they could pose for Volkswagen Group — if they made it to Europe in large numbers — go far beyond the idea of cannibalizing E-Tron sales.

Despite the fact that Auto China says it would handle the important business of homologation, registrations, warranty and service report for AUDI, Audi apparently isn't moved. Having the E5 Sportback and E7X in Europe wouldn't suddenly made them part of the company's official European dealership network, and owners could face questions and be rather confused about software, diagnostics, replacement parts, and repairs. I suppose those are valid concerns and a headache Audi neither anticipated nor ever really wanted to deal with.

I couldn't tell you exactly why European buyers yearn for AUDIs so badly. I mean, if they really wanted a Chinese car, there are plenty of normally imported vehicles to choose from. I suppose the cars do look sort of neat, and you'd be one of the only freaks on the road with an AUDI rather than an Audi, but at what cost? It's all sort of reminiscent of the gray market vehicle import business that proliferated the U.S. in the 1970s and 1980s, where buyers would purchase cheaper (and usually better) versions of European vehicles from Europe and bring them over here. This is, of course, how the U.S. ended up with the 25-year import rule.