WSJ Today: "Audi to soup up US marketing effort to catch BMW"...excerpts (long)......
02-19-2002, 11:17 AM
#21
Member
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,572
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The turtles pace on the performance offerings kills this image deal, imho.
Every M and every AMG is offered here. Bimmer's latest M3 offering is even spec'd the same on each side of the Atlantic now. The service issue is overstated too. My friends with MB and BMW whine about the same caca we deal with. Jaguar is coming with a R version of the S and we're watching two minute commercials with the mute button pressed arguing whether or not the RS6 will be available. Do we really care that Audi dominates the ALMS? Am I missing something?
02-19-2002, 12:38 PM
#24
New Member
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 282
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
But I think the point was that Saturn's customer service is amazing.
I used to own a Saturn before I got my Audi... I had always just assumed that higher end cars were supposed to have higher quality service and that Saturn was only an exception within the economy class. I was quite surprised at the difference. Audi could learn a thing or two from Saturn.
02-19-2002, 01:47 PM
#27
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 7,469
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You misundertook me
I'm not saying they don't have good service, in fact they do that's what they are known for.
I'm saying the cars are up to the level of the service, but in many people's eyes that's a choice they want to make.
I'm saying the cars are up to the level of the service, but in many people's eyes that's a choice they want to make.
02-19-2002, 02:55 PM
#28
AudiWorld Super User
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 2,310
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Maybe its me but I selected Audi specifically because it did not have an image or personality . . .
My co-workers/staff hate my S4 because they think its boring, bland, and a station wagon. They think I am a starched collar, square, uptight, and far too practical person. I derive more pleasure from their lack of appreciation of the car than I ever would from their admiration of the car. I don't want a car to assist in defining "who,what" I am or what I am about. BMW, speaking in vast generalization, seems to attract buyers who "need and/or desire" the car to help complete their persona or add to a desired identity. Perhaps with Mercedes it can be argued that philosophy is carried even further.
MB may be old money in theory but a large segment of their fastest growing market segment is certainly anything other than old money. More like add water and stir money. Here today, gone in sixty seconds.
In any event, I don't want to be lumped into the BMW or MB target market. I may admire some of their products but would only buy one (I have) if it met my specific requirements for its intended purpose. That purpose would be sport or utility. Certainly not status or envy. I purchased a BMW before and the primary purpose was because I wanted a two door sport sedan that was more useful than a two door sport car. I drove the car and loved it. The pricing was aggressive and I purchased it because it met my objective for use.
It was not until people started saying "oh, BMW huh, what did you get a raise." It drove me cuckoo because it cost less than many of the trucks, SUV's, Corvettes, and various Japanese cars in the employee lot. The sheep gave it Cache', not me. I always kept thinking, what a bunch of suckers.
If Audi starts to try to define the brand too specifically or attempts to stamp a too specific personality on the car I'm gone. I don't need Len Hunt or anyone else to validate my choice. Concentrate on making the product at an extremely high level of quality and the rest will come. You may not conquer the world marketplace in sheer volume of sales but the company will stay strong and consistent for decades.
Daimler diversified and became so intoxicated with the conquer the world desire that they have all but lost their identity. Maybe not according to the masses yet but certainly to their "old money" clients.
My hope would be that Audi would spend this money on something other than advertising. Re-invest it in the product even if it is spent on something frivolous. Maybe redesigning and reimplementing that beautiful retracting interior wood piece that once covered the center console on the A6.
This is all superfluous to everything already posted so I'll stop babbling.
MB may be old money in theory but a large segment of their fastest growing market segment is certainly anything other than old money. More like add water and stir money. Here today, gone in sixty seconds.
In any event, I don't want to be lumped into the BMW or MB target market. I may admire some of their products but would only buy one (I have) if it met my specific requirements for its intended purpose. That purpose would be sport or utility. Certainly not status or envy. I purchased a BMW before and the primary purpose was because I wanted a two door sport sedan that was more useful than a two door sport car. I drove the car and loved it. The pricing was aggressive and I purchased it because it met my objective for use.
It was not until people started saying "oh, BMW huh, what did you get a raise." It drove me cuckoo because it cost less than many of the trucks, SUV's, Corvettes, and various Japanese cars in the employee lot. The sheep gave it Cache', not me. I always kept thinking, what a bunch of suckers.
If Audi starts to try to define the brand too specifically or attempts to stamp a too specific personality on the car I'm gone. I don't need Len Hunt or anyone else to validate my choice. Concentrate on making the product at an extremely high level of quality and the rest will come. You may not conquer the world marketplace in sheer volume of sales but the company will stay strong and consistent for decades.
Daimler diversified and became so intoxicated with the conquer the world desire that they have all but lost their identity. Maybe not according to the masses yet but certainly to their "old money" clients.
My hope would be that Audi would spend this money on something other than advertising. Re-invest it in the product even if it is spent on something frivolous. Maybe redesigning and reimplementing that beautiful retracting interior wood piece that once covered the center console on the A6.
This is all superfluous to everything already posted so I'll stop babbling.
