[s-cars] Truth vs. Joy

Fri Mar 19 07:40:14 PDT 2010

 I don't think I just disagree with the De Lorezo's rant, I think he has it exactly backwards!  BMW gets a bum rap for the X6, yet it's worldwide production is sold out.  Every single vehicle in their line-up = 50/50 weight distribution.  In the world of heavier miss piggy's, that ultimately, will rule the driving world, and is not a new philosophy from our friends in Bavaria.  Adding weight happens, but if you are conscious of how you wear it, it can still look good on you, and the romp in the Deals Gap paved beds, will still make you smile.  Problem for Audi, bad weight distribution needs really good quattro to make it 'better'.  Problem, BMW has figured out the AWD game, and still has job 1 as their goal.  AWD that has good weight distribution?  Good luck to Audi.  I wrote 10 years ago on these lists, god help audi if BMW figures out the AWD game.  That time is here gents.

After a heavenly romp with the new E92 M3 a few weeks ago, I wonder which car the Author drove.  Add the 335, the 330, the M5, the X5 the X6/M, the M6, the 135, damn BMW has audi beat in just about every line - certainly they have a star in every line.  And Audi late on the GKN center diff for the S5, that's in the X6 production cars already (side note:  correction to Torsen boys earlier Haldex suspicions, the new S5 is GKN - report to follow some incoming documents).

Ulitmately, if we take out the 'quattro' advantage by competition offering same, what does Audi bring to the table?  Occasional hits, usually late to the game, and the 'hits' are not designed, they are incidental creations in demand only by the buyers of them.  

I spent a fair amount of time down in Greenville several weeks ago, then hopped in an M3 DSG for a serious romp in the sack, and never once thought about how heavy that machine was.  I heard sounds from it that stirred the soul to the very core, and it danced with a sense of attention to motoring detail I just don't get from the Audis anymore.  No Mr De Lorenzo, I've been an Audi guy for many years, but I think you have the rant exactly 180 out of time.

my .02 arbitraged thru the peso

Scott J

-----Original Message-----
From: JC <jc at j2c3.com>
To: 'W. Bean' <theringmeister at triad.rr.com>; s-car-list at audifans.com
Sent: Fri, Mar 19, 2010 6:47 am
Subject: Re: [s-cars] Truth vs. Joy

I agree with a lot of it but disagree with the authors final conclusion in
that I fear Audi following the BMW track as we speak.

it's the curse of success - when you find yourself crushingly dominating in
one segment after a while, hubris sets in, you think you can do anything and
everything for everybody.  the only place to go is up and out and they turn
to the 'seductive' (what Auto execs get seduced by I guess) idea of ruling
in the mass market.

then the next multiplying error is that apparently in the auto industry this
means you require focus-group designed products. welcome to the ocean of
mediocrity. while listening to the customer is critical, focus group product
design has lots of problems and is usually done the WRONG way in the auto
industry and that's what leads these companies down the path.  the best
analogy is "would you ever ask Joe off the street what ingredients to put in
a 5-star gourmet entrée?"  well if you did you'd never get the brilliant and
mind-blowing creations of the worlds best chefs, you'd get the same crap
that Joe has had before... he's not a freakin chef and car owners are not
designers or stylists.   iconic and compelling design needs to stretch
people's ideas - we are impressed by things that surprise us, not things
that fall into our dumb comfor zone.

back to AoA - while a lot of the current cars are still pretty great (love
my wife's new A3 yes I know it's a golf platform) and it's nice that we
continue get some S cars (surprised we were allowed the S5 for instance)...
it's things like the disappearance of manual transmissions, and restriction
of quattro availability and the bloat of curb weight and size across the
range (an A4 now is massive compared to the little nimble car it started out
as) that looks EXACTLY to me like AoA going down the BMW path...

> -----Original Message-----
> From: s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com
> [mailto:s-car-list-bounces at audifans.com] On Behalf Of W. Bean
> Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2010 10:29 PM
> To: s-car-list at audifans.com; quattro at audifans.com;
> urq at audifans.com; 20v at lists.20v.org
> Subject: [s-cars] Truth vs. Joy
>
>
> http://www.autoextremist.com/current/2010/3/16/the-autoextremist.html
>
>
> --
> Wylie Bean
> TheRingmeister at triad.rr.com
> 90 cq
> 91 90q20v sport
> 92 UrS4
> 08 Q7 3.6
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