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AudiWatch Update (Tm) #47
AudiWatch Update (Tm) #47 11-1-94
AUDI IN THE NEWS
----------------
in the OH NO! OH-MY GOD NO! PLEASE-JUST SAY IT AINT SO!!! department:
COMPETITION THIS WEEK AW, Oct. 31, '94 pg. 63
YES, HYUNDAI
Hyundai will make its full-season, NA motorsports debut in '95 with
an SCCA Pro Rally Series entry: a 2.0-liter turbocharged, 4wd Elantra
prepared by John Buffum and driven by his stepson, Paul Choiniere.
Buffum is an 11-time SCCA Pro Rally champion and Choiniere is a
three-time titlist. (all Paul's and many of John's championships came
at the wheels of Audi Quattros, and no, April 1st couldn't be
further away, I'd sure like a % of *THAT* contract!!! Ed.)
OUT TAKES, pg. 11
AND THE WINNER IS...For meritorious use of allegory by an executive of a
German car company, we present the coveted crossed schnitzels with
sauerbraten clusters award to Gerd Klauss, VP in charge of Audi of America.
Klauss, who earlier this year described a certain engine's wimpy output
as "not pulling the sausage off the plate," delivered new analogies at
a recent press conference. On Audi price reductions and adding Quattro
as a stand-alone option, "Now we at least can rock 'n' roll with the
competition;' on the price reduction of a fully optioned A6 sedan
($5,600 less in 95 than 94), a margin which remains, "even if you
load the beast." And, finally, on a highly respectable but not yet perfect
3rd place finish in the JD Power VSI survey, "That is not enough to pull
the cow off the ice." But it'll certainly make the cow start skating,
if it's so inclined.
NEWSMAKER, AW, Oct. 24, 94, pg. 8-9
...AND MANY FOR ALL
Piech Kills VW's One-Car, One World Plan
Piercing eyes staring forward, speaking softly over the din from the
adjacent Mitsubitchy stand at the Paris show, VW chief Ferdinand Piech
talked once again of VW "not listening to the customer."
The refrain has echoed time and time again, usually in explanation of
WV's declining fortunes in the US market. But now the words were spoken
in more matter-of-fact tones, far less defensively than in years past,
as Piech explained VW's new world strategy.
The days of one car for the world are done in Wolfsburg. Each of the
company's major markets--Europe, Asia and N and S America--will get a
car build to meet its particular needs. Though the company will reduce
dramatically the number of platforms is uses-- from 16 to four--bodystyles
will climb to 30 from 20 (AW, Oct. 17).
"We will never again produce a Golf in Germany and in Mexico with the
same sheetmetal," Piech said. "We will produce one body-style in one
place."
Piech admits he was surprised by the positive reaction given the Beetle-
inspired Concept I car when it debuted last winter in Detroit.
"Americans were much more emotional in their response,: Piech said,
adding that in Germany, the "Beetle was replaced by Golf. Golf was a better
car and it was accepted as the replacement. In Europe, we can't go back to
the Beetle, we must move forward."
But the American reaction was sufficient for VW to seriously consider
the project and Piech said that if Concept 1 is given a go, it will be
built in close proximity to the US market--at VW's Mexican facilities.
He added that the car, with at least a 100,000-unit run, would appear in
more than just the two-door and cabrio variants shown this year.
Another of the VW empire's hot new players, the AUDI A8, will make an
appearance on these shores, Piech confirmed, but he didn't specify when.
"If we're going to have two brands (in America)," he said, "then we
must have the full range of both brands."
The exceptions to that rule are the VW Polo, introduced in Paris and
deemed too small for US consumption, and a planned city car, codenamed
EA420 and based on a shortened Polo floorplan.
Piech said that VW is in the midst of a break-even year, and he hopes
to take the company back into the black next year. With new cash comes
the exploitation of new markets. VW plans to step up its presence in
China and explore potential partnerships in India, Southeast Asia and
Africa. Sales in Africa will not lead to a venture like its Ford
partnership in AutoLatina. "We won't make AutoAfrica," he said, adding
a presumable unintentional Redfordian pun.
As for his cost-cutting guru Lopez, the VW group chairman said Lopez's
struggle with industrial espionage and General Motors has rallied VW
employees, and even the German people, behind the company. More importantly,
Piech credits Lopez with 10 percent of VW's $6.5 billion in cost cuts in
the last 20 months, much of it a results of adopting a four-day week at
VW facilities in Germany.
Obviously Lopez had made a great impression on his new bass. But how well
does he speak German?
Piech flashed a wide grin and said, "As well as he does English."
NEW AUDI PARTS SOURCES & SERVICES
---------------------------------
COMPANIES *NOT* TO DO BUSINESS WITH
-----------------------------------
European Traffic aka Mid-Atlantic Automotive
Parts screw-ups, shipping screw-ups, credit-card billing before parts
actually ship, poor service, as reported on the .net
SUPERCHIPS, grossly misleading advertising claiming CPU chip upgrades
where, in fact, no CPU chip reprogramming is done in many applications,
as discussed at great length on the .net
AUDIS OF INTEREST FOR SALE/WANTED
---------------------------------
AUDI TURBO QUATTRO WAGON, 91, 217 HP, 62K mi, ext warr to 86K, xlnt cond,
$24,000 810-865-1636 MN AW 10-17-94
AUDI GT COUPE QUATTRO TURBO (sic), 83, silver, excep orig cond and maint,
$9,000, ASU 616-772-6444 AW 10-17-94
91 AUDI 200 QUATTRO 20V TURBO, pearl/gray, 23K mi, w/TAP chip & adj. boost
H&R sp springs, 17" whls, Alpine sys, $24,900 314-536-9661 MO AW 10-17-94
93 AUDI S4 QUATTRO, silver/black, 29K mi, $36.9k
93 AUDI QUATTRO WAGON, blk/cream, AT, 14K mi, $32.9k, both perfect, nvr
damaged, must sell one!/Trades? Dick 612-925-1418/e; 612-939-9282/d MN AW 10-17
AUDI 83 TURBO QUATTRO CPE - fast, silver/brown, CD, 2nd owner, good cond,
12K mi, $8495/OBO 303-526-1793 CO AW 10-3-94
RALLY CARS ETC.
1990 AUDI TURBO QUATTRO COUPE $30k,
90-92 SCCA PRO RALLY Overall Champion (Paul Choiniere/Jeff Becker,
Buffum prepared)
1190 VW Golf 16V, Groupe 2 $15k
1990 VW Rally Golf-Street Car $27k
Vermont Sportscar, 802-655-3533 AW 8-29
AUDI QUATTROS (3) 91 20V Turbo Wagon, 45k, $24.9k, 90 200 Sedan, 152k, $10.45k,
83 Coupe, 92k, $10.5k 410-841-6828 AW 9-12
AUDI QUATTRO COUPE, 90, 20V, new tires, tune-up, battery, 43k mi,
$13.9k, OBO Must Sell (201) 838-9191 AW 8-29
AUDI QAUTTRO COUPE, 83, chip, updated dash, 8" rims, sports springs, leather,
A/C, CC, phone, body and interior excellent, black. low miles,
$11.5k, 916-582-4862 CA AW 9-12
AUDI QUATTRO V8, 90, teal/leather, auto, books & records, call Sean Riley,
$14.2k, 502-448-6666 KY AW 9-5
AUDI QUATTRO COUPE, 90, red/gray lthr, very gd cond, CD, fact ski rack, new
tires, $15k, 304-736-0701/lv msg WV AW 8-15
AUDI QUATTRO COUPE, 83, black/black, Intended Acceleration, Buffum, very quick,
120k mi, $9k, 617-489-6548/bfr 10pm MA AW 8-29
AUDI 200 TURBO QUATTRO, 91, 20V, 21k mi, warr til 3/95, prinstine, Blue/Gray,
phone, CD, $24k firm, 503-644-8600 OR AW 8-8
AUDI V8, rare 5-spd, Black/Gray, 43k mi, V fast, flawless, 4 new Mich,
full maint, fact. warr, $29.5k Pvt. 215-233-5720 PA AW 8-29
AUDI COUPE QUATTRO 20V, 90, silver/gray leather, perf cond, 26k miles,
fanat maint, MIM 16" whls w/P700Zs, $19.2k/OBO, Mike 407-487-0552 FL AW 8-15
Vorsprung durch Technik,
-glen