what will become of audi
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what will become of audi
so i pick up a copy of my automobile mag today and there is an article about an upcoming AWD Benz S class and C class. then i hear BMW is coming out with a 330xi AWD version of the 3 series. all supposed to be a ~$2000 option. i wonder how audi will fare now that their main competitive advantage is no longer so unique...what else can audi compete on?
if lexus put AWD in their sedans...yikes..
if lexus put AWD in their sedans...yikes..
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Re: what will become of audi
Michael,
While MB and BMW are spending millions to design tool and perfect something Audi already has, just imagine what Audi engineers must be working on.
Multitronic, it will change the world of automatic transmissions as we know it! That's basically here.
Aluminum structures coming on-line.
Fuel cells, who knows? I wouldn't count Audi out
just yet!
While MB and BMW are spending millions to design tool and perfect something Audi already has, just imagine what Audi engineers must be working on.
Multitronic, it will change the world of automatic transmissions as we know it! That's basically here.
Aluminum structures coming on-line.
Fuel cells, who knows? I wouldn't count Audi out
just yet!
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This "NEW" idea of theirs to go to AWD,
I would look on as some sort of Flattery. Audi has perfected this and the market is now starting to go that way to AWD. They are just now catching up with the times. A6 is a good all around car and the competition is fierce. But its nice to know that BMW and MB are being compared to Audi!Audi must have done something right.But Audi can't get complacent, gotta keep the R&D going.
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I saw a new white E430 4Matic on my way to work this a.m.
Nice looks, although I'm not a white fan. And if I recall correctly there's no sport package available on 4Matic models this year and its MSRP is close to $59k, give or take an odd lot. So for approx $53k MSRP you can get a fully loaded 4.2 with a sport package and proven AWD capability. Now I'm beginning to understand why Audi's #'s are at record levels and % gains are at record levels. Take the extra 6 large and go nuts on mods and you got a hell of an AWD sedan. I like that "flattery" comment. JMHO.
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All respondants here are correct, plus
styling still ranks VERY high as a purchase criteria. Right now, Audis are arguably the nicest styled cars on the road (interior styling is hands down nicest). What about new models? What about "value"? What about excellent corporate management (mostly)? I'm wondering how many people here would have still selected the A6 without all wheel drive availability. Competition only makes the good get better - don't lose any sleep.
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Re: what will become of audi
For what it's worth, BMW has had an all wheel drive -xi since about 1985.
The "underwhelming success" of this speaks for itself. I saw one at the
Hanover fair in about 1984 with the chassis on prominent display but can't
remember the details of whether they used the Torsen system or viscous
couplings. I believe Mercedes has also had an AWD but don't know anything
about it.
Not to worry.
The "underwhelming success" of this speaks for itself. I saw one at the
Hanover fair in about 1984 with the chassis on prominent display but can't
remember the details of whether they used the Torsen system or viscous
couplings. I believe Mercedes has also had an AWD but don't know anything
about it.
Not to worry.
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Re: All respondants here are correct, plus
i like my a6 very much and i felt it was a good value at 42k but...it takes 2 months to get parts for my car, i've heard that replacing the tranny can run up to 8k and as far as resale...i've heard that mainstream benzes have better resale. so if the ownership cost of having an audi and a mb are about the same in the long run, and mb customer service is maybe a little bit better (at least a bit more consistent across the country; i've heard of some terrible audi dealers and a few bad mb ones), then i would think that mb and bmw and lexus would take away significant chunks of audi's current sales.
i think the difference between awd efforts from bmw and mb in the past were that the systems they used are expensive (~$3000) and not very good. but the new systems that are coming out are supposed to be nearly as good and close to the $1650 that audi charges for their awd system.
i guess what i'm trying to say is that i love my audi, but i wouldn't have even considered it if it didnt have awd...
i think the difference between awd efforts from bmw and mb in the past were that the systems they used are expensive (~$3000) and not very good. but the new systems that are coming out are supposed to be nearly as good and close to the $1650 that audi charges for their awd system.
i guess what i'm trying to say is that i love my audi, but i wouldn't have even considered it if it didnt have awd...
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Re: All respondants here are correct, plus
Why are you pricing transmissions? Do you think MB gives theirs away? As to resale value, I just sold my A4 which was purchased in June '98 for $6,238 less than I paid: ($34,500 less $28,262.) I think Audis will do fine in the used market- particularly if they are taken care of and don't need trannys.
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from a reference of AWD systems
'Some manufacturers used regular differentials in conjunction with the VC where the VC functioned as a diff lock that acted automatically when conditions needed it. The current Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX and current manual transmission all wheel drive Subarus use this scheme. The departed BMW 325ix and Toyota Celica turbo all-trac also used it.'
So it has an open center diff with a VC to stiffen it.
Seems pretty good.<ul><li><a href="http://www.eskimo.com/~eliot/awd.html">http://www.eskimo.com/~eliot/awd.html</a</li></ul>
So it has an open center diff with a VC to stiffen it.
Seems pretty good.<ul><li><a href="http://www.eskimo.com/~eliot/awd.html">http://www.eskimo.com/~eliot/awd.html</a</li></ul>