Lexus vs Audi - fair?

["Graydon D. Stuckey" <graydon@apollo.gmi.edu>]

On Mon, 5 Feb 1996, Eliot Lim wrote:

> i found that perfection does not equal nirvana.  i never liked the
> "perfect" LS400 from day 1 and it's only now with sagging sales
> that one is finally starting to see criticism for its antiseptic
> character.
Eliot,

	(agreeing with everything you said, just a little urqed by your 
Lexus slam, being an engineer...)

	I never liked the styling of the Lexus LS400 (or any other Lexus 
for that matter, except maybe for the Guigiaro-designed GS - good 
initials too:-) but when I finally had to spend some time in one to 
evaluate it as our chief competitor to the Seville and Park Avenue, my 
appreciation grew.

	I don't think that sagging sales have as much to do with its 
anti-septic character (which I'll admit exists) as they do with Lexus' 
failure to produce another unique automobile like they did the first time 
around.

> the a4 is a wonderful example of a car doing everything right and
> yet can still be delightful to drive....

	Yes, from a totally different viewpoint.  A lexus buyer wouldn't
even think of driving an A4, and if he were forced to drive one, he
certainly wouldn't buy it for himself.  They are meant for two distinctly
different drivers, and hence, their engineering content reflects this. 

	The Lexus has levels of refinement in NVH that are unsurpassed in 
the industry.  The interior noise level is the lowest by a significant 
margin, the vibration levels are the lowest by a huge margin, and the 
luxury is achieved in an effortless manner.  It's also a very good 
handling car, and a joy to drive.   The A4 is not really spoken 
of in these terms - it's a sport sedan.  Sports sedans are expected to 
have character.  The Lexus is expected to coddle its passengers without 
ever complaining, or breaking.

> i have subscriptions to CAR and autoweek...  it was nice to see
> that during the peak of Lexus fever, Setright declared in his
> column that the audi v8 was a better car!  nobody else had the

	Even having not driven the V-8, I would tend to agree with you and
Mr. Setright, because I have driven the 5KCSTQ enough to appreciate where
Audi was when these cars were developed.  I have also driven the A8, so
that certainly is a good comparison.  The problem with Audi is still the
fact that they are a high maintenance car, and that is where the Lexus
excells. 

> read both and convince yourself that the auto media here serves the
> industry first and the readers second.

I have always believed this too.

Later,								
Graydon D. Stuckey								
graydon@apollo.gmi.edu								
Flint, Michigan   USA
'86 Audi 5000 CS Turbo Quattro, GDS Racing Stage II				
'85 Mazda RX7 GS 12A-leaning-towards-a-13B-soon