In Haifeng's eyes, the Audi A4 alone wasn't enough to secure Audi's position in the luxury market.
Yes, the A4 was successful, but it was still a mid-tier B-class sedan in the hierarchy of high-end cars.
For a brand that claimed luxury status, this wasn't enough.
Audi needed a flagship if it wanted to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with international giants. Something aspirational. Something iconic.
That afternoon, Haifeng unlocked a confidential file from his office safe and immediately called Xu Zhilin and Zhao Jianhua from the R&D division.
The two sat across from him as he spoke plainly.
"The A4 has stabilized our brand. It's done its job. But one model doesn't meet our development goals."
"It's time to begin work on the next car."
"Production will kick off once Phase 3 of our manufacturing base is complete, so we need a head start. Design and validation need to be done before we break ground."
Zhao and Xu were stunned by how quickly he was moving.
Zhao hesitated.
"In principle, I agree," he said. "Our growth needs more product lines. But the new model's market positioning and feature set need serious consideration."
"We must evaluate our target audience, tech stack, and how it fits our overall portfolio.
A single misstep could hold us back."
Haifeng nodded but didn't look concerned. He handed them a sealed folder.
"I've already decided."
Inside were plans for two new models: the Audi A6 and the Audi A8.
Both were positioned above the A4. Both carried the weight of being true luxury sedans.
As the two reviewed the designs, their expressions shifted from curiosity to disbelief.
Zhao finally spoke:
"President Lu… are we committing to a C-class sedan?"
Haifeng met his gaze evenly.
"Do you think we can't pull it off?"
Zhao waved his hands.
"No, no—I'm not questioning our tech. Everything we have comes from the CS Lab. I trust that."
But the specs had caught them off guard.
Both the A6 and A8 models are packed with severe displacement. It wasn't what they'd expected.
Xu Zhilin weighed in next:
"The A6 uses a 2.0T engine—the same as the A4. I'm worried that might not sit well with buyers who expect more from a flagship."
"And the A8… honestly, the displacement is extreme. It might scare off a chunk of the market."
Haifeng smiled.
"What market are we serving right now?"
Both men answered in sync.
"The high-end luxury segment."
"Exactly."
"Displacement isn't the selling point for this tier. These buyers care about build quality, comfort, and—above all—status."
"What they want is a symbol. Something that matches their success."
He tapped the A8 schematic.
"This model will be our top-tier luxury sedan. It'll stand alongside the best in the world."
"We need a benchmark. This is it."
Zhao and Xu exchanged a glance, then nodded together.
They had no real objections—just hesitation. Now that Haifeng had clarified the vision, they understood.
"Got it, President Lu."
"We'll get started right away."
"Good. I'll send in a few experts from CS Labs to assist. Move fast, but don't cut corners."
"Understood."
As things fell into place, the month ended, and Haifeng shifted gears again.
Now, his attention turned back to CS Technology.
In recent weeks, the buzz around the Harmony S2 smartphone had started to cool.
Competitors had started pushing new narratives. Both Samsung and Qualcomm had released fresh headlines about their upcoming tech.
Public excitement drifted toward the upcoming Galaxy S6, and online sales for the S2 began to taper off.
Haifeng wasn't surprised. He wasn't worried.
The S2 was never the endgame.
"The S2 was proof of strength," he thought. "The next phone? That's the real blow."
He was already preparing the Harmony X2, slated to launch in the second half of the year.
Every resource CS had would be poured into it.
To ensure perfection, he even visited BOE personally to secure a custom display order.
Haifeng was clear:
This wouldn't be an upgrade.
It would be a statement.