Re: Americans and stick-shifts

[William Elliott <CN=William.Elliott/OU=MKE/OU=CORP/O=MMS#064#MMS%lngw@wtgw.corp.mei.com>]

<< I remember in 94 when the cabrio was introduced here, I read in Autoweek
that Audi was targeting high income professional women with the cabrio. They
did not believe that the sports car minded person would be interested.
Honestly, I do not disagree. I have heard from a handful of people that they
wish the cabrio came in a 5 speed quattro, but none of them could actually
afford one. And not enough to warrant importing them anyway.>>

And they did indeed make a nice car for high-income professional women,
leaving convertible "enthusiasts" to choose between a BMW or a SAAB turbo
convertible... and apparently a lot of those high-income women chose the
much-cheaper and inferior, but still very nice-looking Chrysler.  How many
buyers of the BMW and SAAB convertibles would have chosen Audi if a
sporting variant had been offered at about the same price, especially with 
quattro? Apparently the other companies are selling enough to "warrant 
importing them".

Bill Elliott
85 UrQ and 89 SAAB conv (turbo, 5sp, 200hp smokin' those poor front tires)