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Comments
Truck drivers and fishermen are about to go on extended actions in the EU in order to ask local and EU governments to take initiatives to low diesel fuel prices. Demonstrations and partial blockade of roads and ports have been made today in UK, France and Spain.
Asked initiatives being (a) to low local fuel taxes and (b) make pressure on oil producers to rise oil production.
Regards,
Jose
Like I said... Say what you will about their styling, I don't care. You can bash the dealers, too.
But to say that they aren't quality cars? In a nutshell, you have lost all of my respect as a fellow car enthusiast. That's only something a fool would say. I know you're not a fool.
Now, you could come back with some snide remark about how my respect is "worth so much," but I think I speak for the car enthusiast community as a whole on this one. BMW fans, Lexus fans, Merc fans, you name it--they all respect Audi as a company. I don't know what vendetta you have against the brand but please, make it known.
I say what I say about Lexus in general, but I would never call a Lexus a low-quality product, because it simply isn't true. Others on this board are the same way.
Back to the point: an Audi is a quality product.
I could write some endless list of achievements and advancements, but I'm not going to.
All I am going to say is, Audi has changed the world, whether you know it or not. If it weren't for Audi, you would see no AWD BMWs. If it weren't for Audi, the Nissan GT-R would not have a dual-clutch gearbox. If it weren't for Audi, the original Ford Taurus would never have existed. If it weren't for Audi, I don't think the Jaguar XJ would boast an aluminum frame. If it weren't for Audi, direct injection would not have been popularized. If it weren't for Audi, we wouldn't be having this banter.
'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet
There is a certain point where something becomes "astronomical." Audi is riding that fine line with the R8, and that is probably the reason why it is so desirable--(relatively) many people can afford it, and they all want to have it.
If Lexus prices this car at $200K+, or even $150K-200K, it will most definitely cross that line. People will shrug and think, "Oh, just another ridiculously expensive sports car that I can never have." Less interest = less buyers = less impact. The R8 will have a profound impact on the brand due to its insane amount of back orders, but the LF-A? That remains to be seen. I'm thinking "no."
'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.T0 DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet
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Regards,
OW
You might want to be a little careful with those claims. I hope you're only implying that Audi was the first "luxury" auto maker to go mainstream with AWD, because Subaru was doing it before Audi. Also, I'm fairly certain Mitsubishi was using direct injection (GDI) some years before Audi. And I don't see the connection between the original Taurus and Audi.
But I'm not trying to stomp out your fire.
-Direct injection? That I also know. However, same response... It seems that, after the 2.0TFSI and 3.2FSI were introduced everyone jumped right onto the technology.
-The Taurus was inspired by the Audi 100 (5000), the car infamously rigged by 60 Minutes. The 100 was considered a design breakthrough, having been one of the most aerodynamic cars ever produced due to its "sleek" design that hadn't really been seen before.
'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet
There again, I'm not trying to pee on your knee. I just think you both need to keep things in perspective. It's all good...
Actually, I'd say esf is absolutely right. Technically it was the 1966 Jensen FF that introduced AWD to the world of cars, long before Subaru. If the credit goes to who got there first, it should go to Jensen motors. Nobody remembers that car though. The 1980 Audi Quattro took Jensen's AWD concept and ran with it, changing the face of rallying. The WRX and the EVO exist because of the Quattro, and the 4Matics, BMW xis, etc exist because of the Quattro. Not Subaru.
IIRC, Subaru said, "Let's go racin' and see how we do!" They ended up dominating over Audi, Audi left, and Mitsubishi jumped on the bandwagon w/ the EVO. Though I admit I might be chronologically off a bit. I do know Subaru had AWD on the general market before Audi.
'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet
Click here to get a recap on what has happened so far.
This is not an isolated incident. The scammer has used countless screen names on BMW boards, Audi boards, Lexus boards, Mercedes boards and Jaguar boards. He has stolen thousands of dollars but when the people at MBWorld got suspicious and came together they got just about all the info on this guy; there have been about 1,500 posts in 10 days. Here's the forum:
http://mbworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=244457&page=32
'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet
And... what about Mercedes Benz? Do they fit in the equation?
TM
In other news: I'm still very conflicted. My next car will most likely be a 335xi and I'll probably tune it, can't wait to test drive (later this year). However, what's after that is still the question mark. It's a ways off til I replace the S4, but I just don't know if I want an Audi, BMW, Merc, Jag, Porsche...
And here I am, still torturing myself over this when I obviously don't have to. :sick:
'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet
There is a certain point where something becomes "astronomical." Audi is riding that fine line with the R8, and that is probably the reason why it is so desirable--(relatively) many people can afford it, and they all want to have it.
If Lexus prices this car at $200K+, or even $150K-200K, it will most definitely cross that line. People will shrug and think, "Oh, just another ridiculously expensive sports car that I can never have." Less interest = less buyers = less impact. The R8 will have a profound impact on the brand due to its insane amount of back orders, but the LF-A? That remains to be seen. I'm thinking "no."
Well, that's the reason I made the post about the price of the LF-A being potentially "astronomical" as you call it. It will be one of those interesting and history-making vehicles. Even as LG has used the NSX as an historical contrast of sorts, there is essentially no exact precedent for this LF-A. It's story will be unique, and I am most interested to see how it pans out.
The supercar arena is a very special place indeed, and there are lots of sophisticated factors at work. It's not just about performance, which of course, MUST be top-notch. It's also about benchmark styling... styling that is so seductive, the car creates a yearning and a heartfelt desire. Also, heritage is a major factor, as Ferrari, for example, can take full advantage of that one. A race-bred background is also a factor. Prestige is a result of the many years of a winning combination of the other factors, and it is something that is earned over time. Then there is the price and the level of productivity, which relates to exclusivity.
Lexus LF-A will we deficient in the heritage, the racing background, and the prestige. Three big strikes against the LF-A. So, is it strike three, you're OUT!? Or, does the third strike not count, and it's a foul ball, and the LF-A is still up to bat? We will see.
The price factor and the production level will be two factors that Lexus management can control to some extent. History shows that Lexus always uses price as a weapon, when it is necessary. So, that being the case, can the LF-A be "managed" into an exclusive position in the marketplace? Personally, I think it can, but we don't know what Lexus management's true intentions are here yet.
Will it alter the well-established Lexus image of cream-puff vehicles? Hard to say. IMHO, I think that it can, but I don't know if it will. In the past, Toyota has never really rounded more than second base in their attempts to demonstrate any genuine performance prowess. This might edge them towards third base, but it seems to me, that as the world's largest automaker, they have been asleep at the switch on this one, and hopefully they can hit a genuine homerun.
But, in the past, they have always struck out where the high-end performance was concerned. Let's see if the LF-A can put a change to this.
TM
TM
Very hard to say. There seems to be a healthy amount of people who see Lexus as a "trendy" brand and would want the car as a break from the norm. However, when the norm is a Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Maserati, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz or Audi, I don't see the need to switch :confuse:
Will it alter the well-established Lexus image of cream-puff vehicles? Hard to say. IMHO, I think that it can, but I don't know if it will.
Did the NSX alter Acura's reputation? I don't think so. It has had a more lasting effect on the Honda brand. Of course, Acura tarnished that itself by not following up with class-competitive products. Lexus might have a better handle on the situation, doing a trickle-down with all of their sedans seeing "F" variants.
'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet
'08 BMW X5 4.8i • '06 Audi A3 2.0T DSG • '05 Audi S4 Cabriolet
Similar situation, but only to a point and, there is a very different set of cirucmstances. It is almost ALWAYS a unique situation, and Lexus will not only focus attention on the LF-A product, but Lexus will ultimately demonstrate their intentions for the product as well.
TM
TM
Nissan seems to be on a bit of a roll lately. The new Maxima appears to be a brilliant effort that crushes the Avalon and Accord, and the new Murano does the same. Nissan suddenly having best in class interiors is also quite a welcome change from just a few years ago.
Let's see if that "roll", with regards to implementing good design, turns into sales numbers for Nissan. I suspect that it will.
TM
According to Strategic BMW led all brands followed by Hummer, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Infiniti, Lexus, Land Rover, Cadillac, and Lincoln. Volkswagen (including Audi) on the other hand led all corporations with 892 points, followed by GM coming in second as a corporation with 867 points. Ford and Honda tied for third with 862 points while everyone’s favorite, Toyota, came in fifth with 860 points.
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TM
Audi led the list with four awards while Toyota, Lexus and Chevrolet tied for second place with two awards each.
The 2008 winners are:
Convertible Under $35,000 - Smart Fortwo
Convertible Over $35,000 - Audi TT
Coupe Under $25,000 - Saturn Astra
Coupe $25K-$35K - Audi TT
Coupe $35K-$45K - Audi A5
Coupe Over $45,000 - Chevrolet Corvette
Sedan Under $15,000 - Scion XD
Sedan $15K-$25K - Hyundai Azera
Sedan $25K-$35K - Toyota Avalon
Sedan $35K-$45K - Audi A6
Sedan Over $45,000 - Lexus GS 460
Hybrid - Mercury Mariner Hybrid
SUV Under $25,000 - Jeep Patriot
SUV $25K-$35K - Buick Enclave
SUV $35K-$45K - Lincoln MKX
SUV Over $45,000 - Lexus LX 570
Compact Truck - Toyota Tacoma
Large Truck - Chevrolet Avalanche
Minivan/Van - Mazda Mazda5
Wagon Under $35,000 - Volkswagen Passat
Wagon Over $35,000 Mercedes-Benz R-Class
Details on all award winners are located at the Consumers Top Rated Awards Page Edmunds.com list
Article: edmunds-announces-2008-consumers-top-rated-vehicle-awards
TM
I will be interested to get your feedback and the final winner as you ponder the field!
Regards,
OW
I can't wait to see what LG has to say. His opinion has been tough on the GS and his favorites M's and 5's are not on this list.
You're right! Forgot all about them. (Telling? :confuse: ) MB was doing AWD way back when BMW was still saying they'd never use forced induction! (Or was that only for the M division?) Now why MB would chase Audi in the AWD arena is anybody's guess because Audi has never been a threat to MB. Probably picked it up as a "safety" (big rolleyes there) thing.
I agree that Audi has some influence with AWD in luxury cars, but I wouldn't say they changed the world. You have to remember the vast majority of their cars are still just FWD.
Sedan Under $15,000 - Scion XD
Sedan $25K-$35K - Toyota Avalon
Sedan Over $45,000 - Lexus GS 460
SUV $35K-$45K - Lincoln MKX
SUV Over $45,000 - Lexus LX 570
My initial thought after seeing the list was: WTF!! The Scion xD isn't even a sedan, it's a wagon!!
Also, no BMW? What happened to the mighty 3-series in the sedan $25k-$35k category? Got beat by the Avalon?
Oh, remember most people like to knock on the Lexus GS here? Guess what, it has just beat out all other heavy guns and won the Sedan Over $45k category...
SUV Over $45k is the LX, houdini did you see that? Time for a test drive...
I'd love to see Infiniti go in that direction. Their cars are already much more performance oriented than anything made by Acura or Lexus, so an M38-GTR or whatever they would call it makes a lot more sense than a GS-F, which is the antithesis of the doughy and boring GS460.
Unfortunately it seems like its going to be quite awhile before Infiniti actually produces anything. They're too busy with other new models and trying to open the door to Europe at the moment.
Yeah I didn't quite get that. In my opinion the GS460 overall is the worst car in the mid-lux class. I also quite dislike the RL and the STS, but at least those are cheap. The 5 really isn't my favorite car either, but I definitely expected to see it or possibly the E on the list as they still own the segment in terms of sales. The GS460 sells a few hundred a month.
I also don't understand why people like the Lincoln MKX so much. It's just a tarted up Ford with a '70s style interior like every other Lincoln, so why is it selling?
So Audi's 960,000 sales last year were no threat to M-B? They weren't concerned about that at all?
The only thing keeping Audi from being looked at with the same ill regard as Acura is the Quattro hype. Probably why Acura put the SH-AWD gimmick on the RL, but it simply doesn't live up to the hype.
That's a laughable statement. You don't think cars like the A8-W12 or R8 have anything to do with the difference in prestige between Audi and Acura? The fact that Acura can't sell a car for more than $40K has nothing to do with it? It's all "Quattro hype"?
Acura gave the RL AWD because of what happens when you run 300hp through the front wheels of a car, and to try and position it better against all of the other AWD cars in the segment, not just the A6. It didn't work because the car looks and drives like an Accord.
I'm talking about the U.S. market. And no, MB isn't threatened by Audi's U.S. sales. Probably not globally, either. And if you notice, Audi and Acura are persistently jockying for last place in sales.
How many A8-W12s or R8s are sold annually in this country?? Prestige wasn't even mentioned at all. Besides, what if those cars were FWD? Then what? You took so much offense that you completely missed the point of what I was saying. Torque steer isn't the only reason the RL was given SH-AWD. Surely you know that. Looking at the lack luster performance of the RL, they could've just left it as only FWD with less HP and achieved the same results. What other point would there be to giving it AWD? To drum up some hype for the brand. I'm certain you're old enough to remember all those Audi Quattro commercials of old.
It's cheap.
Regards,
OW
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)
Regards,
OW
Competitors who ignore Audi do so at their peril. In the Chinese market, Audi is king, and you can bet Stuttgart and Munich would like a piece of that. Even in the US auto market which is currently in ruins, Audi is on a major product offensive and they are going to be gaining at the expense of the establishment. Acura isn't talking about doing much before 2015.
You said the reason Audi isn't looked down upon like Acura is because of phony Quattro hype. I'm saying its because Audi is a true luxury car company that can sell cars that cost over $100K. Acura operates in the same sub-luxury space as Volvo and Saab.
Acura could have (and probably should have) made a car like the S80 3.2 or ES350 with the RL. Instead they decided to chase after the 5 and E class, which means some horsepower and AWD, because they weren't going to do RWD. It wasn't about "drumming up hype", it was about being class competitive. The execution was poor, and the car failed.
Do you know why? I'll give you a hint, it's not due to Audi has better products than MB and BMW.
Acura could have (and probably should have) made a car like the S80 3.2 or ES350 with the RL
Why should Acura make an ES350 competitor? ES350 is currently Lexus' soft-riding, FWD entry level luxury sedan, Acura already has two models in that segment with the TSX and TL. IMO although the TL is much more sportier than the ES350 but the two probably are often cross-shopped by the "regular buyers" (not us car junkies).
I'd agree that the execution of the current RL was poor but that doesn't mean that it was wrong for Acura to go after the 5er and M. The bottom line is that the strategy was right but the product didn't deliver.
The TSX competes with cars like the A4 2.0T and IS250, not the ES. The TL is more of a G35 and IS350 competitor. Neither really competes directly with the ES. Acura could've done a big FWD cruiser to compete with Lexus and Buick like the old RL, and priced it at $42K or so. It wouldn't be a big seller, but it couldn't possibly do any worse than the current RL.
BMW X6 VS INFINITI FX
MOTOR TREND.
Hyundai genesis is 007 :confuse:
All the infos about genesis
Road safety campaigners are urging BBC to kick Clarkson off Top Gear after he admitted to driving over 186mph on public roads. During his recently famous interview at Hay Festival in Powys, where the 48-year old revealed that he will be racing a bullet train in Japan while driving a Nissan GT-R in the next season of Top Gear, Clarkson claimed he’s driven 120mph over the nations speed limit.
Click through for a surprise after the jump.
CEO of Brake, Mary Williams said:”Jeremy Clarkson is extremely offensive and irresponsible. His comments are very upsetting to loved ones who have suffered a bereavement through a road crash because of a speeding driver. He is the most appalling role model for our next generation of drivers. The BBC should sack him - he is totally out of control.”
Clarkson broke the speed limit traveling 186mph at the Limehouse Link tunnel between Central London and Docklands in none other than the Bugatti Veyron.
We can’t wait to see the next season of Top Gear Clarkson; keep at it sir.
Oh and what do you know, we found a video of Simon Cowell’s interview at Top Gear - and yes they take shots at each other.
VERY ENTERTAINING VIDEO.
link title
Exactly. Then why should Acura do that? At least the RL was aiming at the 5er and M...
Like I said, right strategy but wrong product.
I remember you were planning getting a suv and get rid of the mdx
Choose anything yet.
V8 model starts at $38k and tops out at $42k.
We see though very few Avants in New England. Seems that the dealers push Q7s and don't stock the A6 Avant. This seems a shame given that it is less money than a E Class Wagon and offers better all weather performance.
Flash forward, I live in an import-friendly, comparatively affluent Boston suburb (and, yes, I have seen a petition in town to have me relocated...!) and I, too, see mucho Audis including the lovely A8. But, like you, relatively few Avants and only a handful of Q7s. I find the Q7 front end to be a bit Battlestar Galactica/Cylon-ish (the '70s Battlestar, not the current version). And the A/S5 is on my list of next cars my wife won't let me buy... :sick:
Evil wife drives an SUV, but I'm not much of a fan of 'em, either.
I've not seen an R8 on the mean streets around here, yet...
'21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)