markcincinnati

. . .and considering how many highway miles I put on it, it simply is a gas miser.

I read with interest and a certain amount of fear and great concern the predictions of the end of the US Auto Industry.

I, for one, don't want it to fail and I don't want to bail it out just to have it keep on keepin' on. The cars built have to be in such demand globally that we build an industry that can do for the US what manufacturing (making stuff) does for a little counrty one fourth our size (Germany).

Why not, for instance, buy a new Audi A4 2.0T and take it apart and analyze its engine and transmission and make something that rivals it in the US? Why not, when the new 3.0 supercharged comes out, do the same thing?

We should be building cars like this.

I read that our number one export in the US was debt! German exports $150+ Billion worth more manufuactred goods than we do -- and they're one fourth our size.

I keep voting with my dollars and I keep voting for the foreign cars -- thinking that by doing so I am helping the US because the US mfgs will try to build something that will lure my dollars out of my pocket -- the CTS is a good start, I'll admit.

In any case, maybe we're down to needing economic patriotism (he said as he looks out on his 29th Audi.)

I'd just copy the damn thing (the new A4 2.0T to be clear) were I GM or Ford or Chrsyler -- it's just that good!

Mitch105

No. I disagree. I do hear what you are saying and I love my 09 Avant and it is a fantastic car but the US automakers do not need to copy anyone. They need to lead or get out of the way.

The USA has never had a problem with potential and know how to make envious products of quality the world over.

The problem is that GM and the ilk do not appear (for the last 30 years plus) to be run by good ol USA car nuts. You can talk all day about legacy cost etc., but if you don't have the product you got nothing. Shareholders understand that and need to allow US industry to create, source and make cars right here to beat the world not tread water and always threaten to go under.

There is so much bull**** with American car makers it is sad. G8s from Australia, Australia??? passed off as Pontiacs, Korean cars as Chevys, US cars as obsolete, or wrong mix... on and on...All cars/trucks for our market need to be conceived and engineered in USA, all parts must be USA, all manufacturing for domestic cars need to be made here. The US needs to support it's base because they need to get back to 50% plus.

Don't blame Japanese either, as they make a good honest product but set the bar low in running their business. GM need to take it back with product. Go ask Apple.

Together with real passion for cars and US creativity (ie: the world and Sony beater ipod for example which took the market in a little over 1 year only) along with earnest hard working and efficient factories that has a fair shake with the union GM/Ford can indeed take back quite a bit of market share.

But the US car industry is hair-trigger away from being the Zenith of our time and simply allowing the Japanese to be our car providers along with their fake premium brands along with the real premiums ie: Audi/BMW/Merc etc.

Blake P

Audi FTW. I wish the Q5 was here already so I could get it for my wife.

fracisco

Every time I get a rental, I can't believe that the interior in American cars (mostly Pontiacs as of late) are as bad as they are.

And the fake 'growling' exhaust sound is loser, too.

Mitch105

Yes. Those are symptoms of the much larger enterprise-wide failure that is the domestic US auto industry.

Steve K - AVDG

If I look at all of the sedans and/or wagons on the market today, that I'd actually ponder buying, there's only one that comes from these shores, the Cadillac CTS. Ford and Chrysler combined make *nothing* I like, with GM scoring slightly better...they make one car I think is OK. That's a pretty strong indictment of the US auto industry. I'm 34 years old, middle class, and lease a new ~$40k sedan every 2-3 years...and the the Big 3 pretend I don't exist <shrug>?

SFV A4

the guys running these companies are putting all their emphasis on old, retro, nestalgic type cars they were personally into when younger. The focus for the last 15 years from them has been bringing out retro cars to satisfy this fetish. That's all fun and pretty for a select few mid-aged buyers, but the masses and general buying public wants cars like Camrys and Accords. The fad and trendy old school cars do not sell in large quantities and do not make solid, long-term money. This same failing pattern has repeated for 15 years, but they haven't caught on to it yet. Baffles me. Like Audi, modern, cutting-edge, advanced technology, graceful, classy, and rich-looking designs is what elevates the good cars to the top.

justhacking

#1 export of the US is not debt, but its own problems, which, in a way, is a generalisation of a lot of things including debts.

gobs3z

Opel Insignia this year which supposedly (before this collapse) was supposed to come to the U.S. as Chevy or Saturn. The year before that was the Ford S-Max. Ford and GM know how to build a great car, but they choose not to (minus the new Malibu). The Ford Mondeo has been a top contender for at least the last 14 years. We just tend to buy waste-of-space SUV's that did not have to compete the Europeans for quite awhile until the X-5, so they didn't have to make a quality car.

They don't need to take an Audi or VW apart, they know how to do it right but people that buy these cars in America don't notice the details that we do. 90% of Americans are ill-informed about the cars they buy or just don't know what else is out there, but VW has actually done a great job in getting new buyers.

L0U

Debadging a N/A car improves resale by 25%....if you can trick the buyer.