The news segment was clipped and circulated across major platforms as soon as it aired.
"Awesome! Just as I expected—Audi is getting name-dropped again!"
"Ever since they won the award, I knew they'd be singled out for praise."
"Audi is amazing. The first luxury car brand from China!"
"My wallet's ready. Just waiting for the Audi TT to drop!"
"Seriously, that thing looks so damn cool! I want to know when it hits the market!"
"Same question!"
"Same question +1."
However, while netizens were excited, not every car company in China was smiling.
To them, it wasn't just praise—it was full-blown promotion. As far as they were concerned, the segment might as well have been an Audi ad, crowning them as the pride of Chinese auto manufacturing.
At FAW headquarters, one executive couldn't hide the bitterness.
"This is infuriating! Aren't we supposed to be the state's flagship automaker?"
"How come we've never gotten this kind of airtime—not even once in all these years!"
At Honda's China branch, Koinu Honda was livid. He almost trashed his office after watching the segment.
"Hmph! Damn that Lu Haifeng!"
"You've already cost us millions with the Civic. Are you getting national endorsement at the Ward's Top 10 Engines awards? Fine. If that's how it is, I'll ensure you collect more enemies."
Honda was in a fierce war with Lichi Motors in the A-class market. They kept slashing the Civic's price to stay competitive, eventually matching the Qin Pro.
Sales rose, sure. But profits tanked.
To Koinu, it was all Haifeng's fault. And the financial damage wasn't confined to one model or market.
Worse, Honda lost a second golden goose: powertrain sales.
Honda supplied aging engines and gearboxes to China's domestic automakers. Outdated tech, cheaply made, high-margin. The arrangement was perfect—it brought in easy profit while subtly throttling China's auto R&D.
But once the Qin Pro hit the market, that pipeline dried up. One by one, domestic manufacturers quietly shifted to Audi-supplied powertrains.
Audi's systems were practically free and outperformed Honda's top-tier engines.
Honda's own R&D team re-engineered Lichi's Qin Pro Performance and SkyActiv editions. The conclusion was crushing: the Qiongqi engine series beat Honda's lineup in both wear resistance and performance.
The SkyActiv system in particular stunned the engineers—its power delivery, fuel economy, and refinement exceeded expectations.
And engineers don't lie. They follow data, not ego.
Which only fueled Koinu Honda's resentment.
It wasn't just that Audi was better. It was that they were better-looking, too. Haifeng had brought style, performance, and credibility to China's automotive scene.
And now, they had state media on their side.
Koinu wasn't alone. At Volkswagen China, Yasefu's mood was equally grim.
"The Audi TT is gunning for us—aimed squarely at German luxury brands!"
He called an emergency meeting with the heads of Otto, Baolai, and Benma—Volkswagen's top brands in China.
"Gentlemen, if we let Audi break into the C and D segments, what happens to our market share?"
His voice was strained. His reputation was already in flames.
Just the day before, his friend Walter—the head of design at VW Group—had been sacked by the German HQ. Walter had gone off-script at the Ward's awards in America, mocking Chinese brands like a lunatic.
The backlash was swift. Clips of his outburst went viral. Public pressure mounted. VW's image in Europe took a direct hit.
And it all traced back to Yasefu—he was the one who egged Walter on.
At the time, he figured there was no harm in a bit of arrogance. After all, no Chinese engine had ever won at Ward's.
Except now… two had.
Audi didn't just enter the race—they took first and third place.
VW? Nothing. Not even a nomination.
It was the most embarrassing debacle in Ward's Top 10 history.
Still, the other brand heads were dismissive.
"The C and D segments aren't easy to break into," said Benma's head.
"The average Chinese buyer still cares about brand image," added Otto's rep. "A no-name brand in the high-end space? Ridiculous."
Baolai's rep was more blunt.
"Even if Audi does make a move, we just drop prices. Slash our E515 to 620,000, throw in a few extras—Chinese customers will flock like dogs!"
"Exactly. We make our margins back through mandatory options and service fees. Let them try."
But Yasefu wasn't reassured. As they left, he muttered under his breath:
"Idiots. Short-sighted fools. One day, you'll regret this."