AMP

If I lived anywhere else that M5 would have been an S8

mikef4.2nowM5

Name ONE car that makes financial sense. The M5 will depr. less than ANY Audi over ownership.

mikef4.2nowM5

What brought your response on? I never offended you or anybody else on this page. And April deserves better.

Brian-PA

Naturally, I'm just kidding. The switch by yourself and other 4.2 owners to the M5 is a testament to the great design of the car IMHO. They made a surgical strike in the marketplace with the M5. It does so many performance things so well. No, it does not have quattro. However, it would be hard to believe that a M5 owner is buying it for winter prowess. Shod with snow tires it can survive a winter.

I think the 4.2 is one of the best Audi models. Its design and execution are wonderful. It has very good performance. However, I am still confused as to what was really being targeted. The 4.2 is slotted so incredibly close to other Audi models it is peculiar. This is not unprecedented. Audi is not the only one who has caused consumer confusion. That is irrelevant in this debate.

In any case, the 4.2 cannot and will not compete with the M5. Not that it was ever intended to do so or that any of you purchased it for that reason. I'm not sure Audi is even going to try (at least for the next two years) to even make a run at the M5 (the S6 wagon does not count because it is targeted elsewhere).

It seems as if the 4.2 is serving as an appetizer for peformance minded individuals. The only problem is that once the appetite is created, Audi has not (in N.A.) thrown an entree' on the menu. Therefore, we will continue to see Audi owners move to available options on the automotive menu.

I came to Audi because other brands did not have the car I desired on the menu. I don't fault Audi for their strategy. Their focus was volume. You don't get the necessary volume with models in the M5 peformance category. I guess they figured they would lose a few along the way and attempt to bring them back down the road.

My bet is that if Audi can reconcile the EPA/DOT issues with the RS series while keeping it under $100K we will get it in 2004/5. That is a long time away. As a matter of fact, it is about the time you will be looking to get rid of the M5 probably.

Damn M5 jockeys. 0-60 5 seconds. bah humbug.

Brian

GusS

at a ridiculous discount

Steve's 3.2 TT/Avant

"April" factor refers to something she has mentioned so many times that some members of this board have reduced it to a code phrase of the "April" factor. It's basically determining which car is correct for you by determining which car gives you the greatest sense of satisfaction, the "Wow, I'm glad I own this car" feeling.

Let's see, I said the M5's a great car. I wished JIM LAMB, the person I was responding to, continued good luck with his M5. I wasn't responding to you, but if I had been, I would have wished you well with your car, as well.

Learn to read. And think before you respond.

Aries

Steve, That's a very adequate, considered and intelligent reply.

Steve's 3.2 TT/Avant

Thanks, 2.7Tor...uh, Chairman Piech