Re: All-Road A Go For Y2K

[Tom Nas <tnas@euronet.nl>]

Virtual Bob <h93young@creighton.edu> wrote:

>Surprisingly, better than average. The All-Road was made for American
>public (who craze after those SUV types). Rest of the world is quite
>content with the regular Avant. I guess Audi was trying to fill the void
>of SUVness while trying to decide if "real" SUV is necessary. Remember,
>the All-Road was conjured up before VW had a plan for that new SUV
>platform which is now officially shared with Porsche. And now that
>Porsche's gonna come out with a V8 SUV (presumably going head to head with
>MB's V8 ML), Ferry probably decided that Audi's gonna play different
>segment of the market with that macho-ized Avant. Or has there a plan for
>a real SUV for Audi?

No plans so far, I think. Strangely enough, the only two direct competitors
for the Allroad (the Volvo V70XC and Subaru Forester) are selling quite
well here, considering their niche market, and formidable mark-up from the
base models (and the fact than none will ever go further off-road than up
somebody's driveway). I've seen a couple of both the Sube and the Volvo
already, and Volvo has even launched a (funny) TV commercial -their first
in years for the Swedish models- for the XC specifically. Taped in the US,
though.

The fact that Audi has made all kinds of documentation for the Allroad is
an indication that they're pretty serious with it, IMO. Also, it would be
relatively easy to put into production as the base unit is an existing
model.

It'd sell, I think.

Tom