On the evening of October 11, SAIC Audi swiftly took action.

As soon as the news of Zheng Qinwen's championship win broke, an official post was promptly published: "Buy One, Get One Free on All AUDI Models." The eight-word headline was attention-grabbing but also perilous. Upon closer inspection, it was revealed that the so-called "free gift" was merely a 1:18 scale car model.

A post intended to drive traffic ultimately backfired amid public outcry.

However, for SAIC Audi, the real challenges extend far beyond this single incident. The new brand, which has discarded the iconic four-ring logo and started anew, has witnessed monthly sales of its second model, the E7X, plummet from 4,017 units in its debut month to just 1,503 units in September. Its predecessor, the E5, sold only 300 units in the same month.

The more you lack, the louder you proclaim.

SAIC Audi's Play on Words: "Free Gift" Turns Out to Be Car Models

Desperate for a breakthrough, SAIC Audi's "AUDI" brand stumbled in its quest for online attention.

On the evening of October 11, Zheng Qinwen clinched the "2026 China Tennis Open" title, becoming the first local women's singles champion in the tournament's history. The news sparked a wave of online excitement. Brands that had invested in Zheng rushed to launch promotional campaigns overnight, and SAIC Audi, as Zheng's sole automotive partner, naturally seized this "opportunity."

That same evening, SAIC Audi's official WeChat account quickly followed up with a bold headline: "Congratulations to Qinwen on Her Victory! Buy One, Get One Free on All AUDI Models." Below the article, Zheng's competition photos were displayed with the caption: "Congratulations to Qinwen on Her Victory! Passion Unyielding, Forged into Championship! Buy One, Get One Free on All AUDI Models." The post immediately drew widespread attention.

However, consumers who delved deeper soon discovered that the true "free gift" in SAIC Audi's "buy one, get one free" offer was merely a static car model of the same model, hidden in the fine print and valued at less than a thousand yuan on the market.

Regarding the event details, Qingcaijing learned from SAIC Audi's customer service that, "From October 1, 2026, customers who place orders for the Audi E7X or Audi E5 Sportback models via the SAIC Audi APP/Mini Program and complete vehicle delivery by October 31, 2026 (inclusive), will receive a corresponding 1:18 scale car model. Those who order the E7X will receive an E7X car model, and those who order the E5 Sportback will receive an E5 Sportback car model. The car models will be gifted along with the vehicle."

Once the "truth" was uncovered, SAIC Audi's move sparked widespread criticism from netizens and the media, accusing the brand of turning "buy one, get one free" into a mere play on words. To the public, SAIC Audi's approach was a classic case of "clickbait"—placing an enticing hook in the most prominent part of the headline to raise public expectations and garner traffic and attention, only to reveal the truth in the fine print to avoid responsibility.

Not only did netizens criticize the move, but after media coverage, the incident was reported to the Shanghai Consumer Hotline, which confirmed that it had registered the case and would forward it to the relevant department of the Market Supervision Administration for verification. As the controversy escalated, SAIC Audi has since modified the post's headline to "Congratulations to Qinwen on Her Victory! Buy One, Get One Free—Plus a Car Model," and corrected the corresponding promotional materials in the content.

Whether SAIC Audi's promotion violated regulations remains to be determined by the relevant authorities. However, it is worth noting that the public has grown increasingly wary of such promotional tactics. Especially in the automotive industry, previous instances of "bold headlines, fine-print disclaimers" have deepened public aversion to such practices. What should have been a mutually beneficial marketing event for the endorser and the brand ultimately backfired entirely in the court of public opinion.

New Model Falters Again: Audi E7X Sales Miss the Mark

Behind the urgency to chase traffic and break through lies the stark reality for SAIC Audi's "AUDI" brand—both in terms of brand recognition and sales performance, the brand remains mired in a dilemma. Launched in 2024 as SAIC Audi's electrification-focused sub-brand, "AUDI" has seen its second electric model, the Audi E7X, replicate the failures of its predecessor, the E5.

The first model under the "AUDI" brand, the Audi E5, was launched in September 2025. SAIC Audi had set a lofty sales target for the E5 to rank among the top three in its segment, but the vehicle ultimately delivered monthly sales of just over a thousand units, falling short of official expectations and failing to make a breakthrough. In September of this year, the latest sales figure for the E5 was 300 units. According to previous official statements, "The E5 Sportback played a significant role in the brand's journey from 0 to 1, officially bringing the AUDI brand to the new energy table."

This suggests that the Audi E5 was primarily positioned to "establish the brand," which may explain its underwhelming sales performance.

The brand's second model, the Audi E7X, was launched in late May this year. Unlike the E5, the E7X was not positioned to "establish the brand" but was expected to achieve a sales breakthrough. Official statements on the product's pricing also reflected SAIC Audi's determination to break through: "The E7X does not follow the traditional pricing model of fuel vehicles, nor does it include high brand premiums. Instead, it is priced solely based on the product's competitiveness."

With a more sincere pricing strategy, the new model faced even higher expectations than its predecessor, the E5. Previously, Xie Shiqi, deputy general manager of SAIC Audi's marketing division, told the media: "The E7X has a larger market space, and our expectations for it are higher." Xie also revealed that internally, a small target had been set for the E7X to rank among the top five mid-to-large SUVs. In his view, "breaking into the top three is also highly promising."

However, the results were disappointing. Data shows that the E7X sold 4,017 units in its debut month of June, peaking immediately before sales began to decline: 3,007 units in July, 1,808 units in August, and dropping to 1,503 units in September. Notably, officials had once claimed that the vehicle would become the first luxury pure electric model to sell over 10,000 units within 100 days of its launch.

Previously, Shi Pengze, general manager of SAIC Audi's marketing division, stated in an interview that "the E7X is one of the most successful luxury electric vehicles on the market." Currently, however, the E7X's sales have fallen out of the top 10 in the mid-to-large SUV segment, meaning the product's performance has fallen far short of official expectations. After the initial hype faded, the true capabilities of the E7X have proven far less optimistic than its executives had anticipated.

"AUDI" Faces Breakthrough Challenges: Brand Recognition Remains a Key Obstacle

From the E5's lackluster performance to the E7X's "high debut, steady decline," the poor showing of two consecutive models in the domestic market sufficiently illustrates the difficulty of the "AUDI" brand's breakthrough. According to industry analysis and information released by SAIC Volkswagen, a major obstacle to the "AUDI" brand's breakthrough lies in the public's insufficient recognition of the brand.

In the Chinese market, consumers still recognize the traditional "four-ring Audi" more readily than the lesser-known "letter Audi"—"AUDI"—which also represents Audi's orthodox lineage.

Fu Qiang, executive deputy general manager of sales and marketing at SAIC Volkswagen, mentioned in a media interview that "the company has conducted no fewer than five reviews of the E5 internally, and a key conclusion was that the E5's biggest challenge was not the product itself, but the consumer's recognition process of the AUDI brand." Clearly, enhancing consumer recognition of the AUDI brand has become crucial for the new brand's breakthrough in the domestic market.

This has also become the core driving force behind SAIC Audi's "buy one, get one free" marketing strategy. However, after the execution faltered, the strategy's pros and cons became equally apparent. An automotive industry analyst told Qingcaijing, "SAIC Audi's 'buy one, get one free' strategy achieved high exposure at a low cost, but the downside is that it cheapened the brand, shrinking its value and making others think Audi is up to something shady."

In addition to the still-insufficient domestic recognition of the brand, another challenge hindering the "AUDI" brand's breakthrough comes from intensifying market competition.

As a luxury electric vehicle brand targeting the 300,000-yuan price range, "AUDI" operates in one of the most fiercely competitive red ocean markets for high-end pure electric vehicles in China. Taking the pure electric mid-to-large SUV segment where the Audi E7X competes, it faces rivals such as the Tesla Model Y and Xiaomi YU7, as well as products from other domestic high-end new energy brands like AITO, Li Auto, NIO, IM Motors, and Avatr.

Compared to its competitors, "AUDI" lacks distinct advantages. For the "AUDI" brand today, the marketing misstep reveals brand anxiety, while the sales dilemma reflects a recognition gap. Chasing traffic may bring temporary exposure, but it cannot secure lasting brand loyalty—a truth that applies not only to the post on Zheng Qinwen's championship night but also to this "letter Audi" still searching for its identity.