Q7 name under threat
• Audi’s first off-roader, the Q7 may have to be renamed
• Nissan fears confusion with its US QX eight-seat 4x4
• Motorsport-inspired alternative name considered for US market
Audi could be forced to change the name of its new Q7 off-roader as a result of a legal battle with Nissan.
A row in the US threatens to strip the new seven-seater of its distinctive title after Nissan filed a lawsuit claiming it already owns the rights to a Q badge on cars. The case could prove a headache for Audi, because the company plans to launch a range of four-wheel-drive vehicles using the Q moniker, starting with the Q7, which goes on sale next year.
The Q7 is Audi’s first off-roader and it derives its name from the Quattro four-wheel-drive system that the manufacturer has been using on road cars for the past 25 years. However, Nissan claims that it already has trademarked ‘Q’ because it uses it on the Infiniti brand of vehicles, such as the Q45 saloon and QX 4x4.
America is seen as a vital market for the Q7, and Audi may be forced into adopting a new title to avoid problems. An international marketing campaign and website is already in place to promote the car, which Audi hopes will be a huge seller.
Nissan claims that the Q7 name will confuse buyers and could result in a loss of sales, especially of the Infiniti QX eight-seater 4x4. The Q7 is not due to be launched in the US until next year and Audi is thought to be considering ‘Pikes Peak’, a reference to a historic US motorsport event that was used on the original concept version of the car, as an alternative title.
Source: What Car UK
Click here for the full article