acadia

park tronic, lcd nav(can't even get in Audi, go figure), mechanized solar shades, wine cooler, the double pane windows, all seemed very extraneous to me and quite luxurious.

Although, I've seen no car in this class to even come close to the S-Class luxury.


But my point, is coming out with great products is what makes a name, not being mundane. The A8 is mundane and therefore it doesn't sell well, it was Audi's other products the A4, A6, and tt that is making a name for the company.

The flag ship of the brand should be your crowning achievement and it's simply not in the case of Audi. When Audi very well could do it, I don't see why they don't?

acadia

sure the A8 borrows some of it, but Audi had simply transferred that design, and that interior to the new A8, good god, would I have been impressed. I don't care for avants they could leave that out, but if the took more of the Avantissomo styling the bi-xenon lights, the quad tail pipes, etc ... I'm telling you when people saw it coming down the road, they would be so awed, they couldn't help but get on the net, and find out what car that is, and who makes it.

Next thing you know, sales, are out the roof.

That's how the A4 one the hearts of many.

You don't know how many compliments I've gotten on my A4, or how many people said hey, wow, Audi has really stepped it up, I've actually had people mistake the car for a BMW or MB model, not just because they are just that silly but because when they think of luxury these manufacturers come to the forefront in the US, obviously the A4 had to be put out by one of them.

It takes so much more than just being good, to make it, in this class, you've got to be much better. Had, the A8 borrowed even more of avantissimo especially the interior styling and more of the exterior styling, the A8 would have been a head turner, and made people curious, as it is, it currently will not be, IMHO.

meem

i'm sorry, but even if the original a8 was a runaway success, it would not have saved audi in north america. even for marques like bmw, their cash cows are the 3 and 5 series; the 7 is a bit player when it comes to profit.

as far as eye-catching, i dunno -- the new 7 catches my eyes all right -- and also my funny bone. the s class is nice but has become a bit stale; i think the new a8 will be a huge success. but that's just my opinion, and no, i won't be putting my money where my mouth is (i don't need a car that big at 26).

acadia

ship car, the A8, and then attempt to charge 80K for it, and then wonder why it's sales sucks? No one is saying designing a great A8 would have saved Audi in North America, I'm saying that designing a great A4, saved Audi, and designing awesome looking, awesome cars across the board will make them money.

So, my question to you, is you agree with me then the A8 sucks? Since your making excuse why they didn't put much thought into this new A8?

Had not the A4 been what it was, I wouldn't even be at this forum, cause I could have cared less about Audi, and Audi certainly wouldn't have had record breaking sales, and sold, more than 2,000,000 A4's, cash cow or not. A car, is not by default a cash cow, a car has to made a cash cow, had the A4 not been what it was, Audi would have not sold nearly as many no matter how much you think by default it should be.

meem

no; i think the new a8 is everything it should be: beautiful, graceful, sporty, and understated. in 1994, the a8 was also all of those things, but audi was a bit player and really could not compete, especially because they could not properly promote the car. the same is not true now, and i think the car will be a success, especially with bmw totally botching the 7-series.