Folks,
I mentioned a couple weeks ago that I would be sending a letter to AoA. Below is a draft for this correspondence. It has a somewhat terse tone on purpose..to be candid, I am pissed. Please PM me with your constructive comments..not looking for a ton of wordsmithing, but constructive thoughts that could add value.
Also, Erik please let me know if we are out of line, or if you don't want the RS6.com name in the letter.
My goal is to deliver this in person at there AoA headquarters here in Herndon.
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December 5th, 2012
Dear AoA,
It was with baited breath that each of us here in the United States and Canada read the introduction of the new 2014 RS6 Avant to the world (article dated December 4th, 2012 and attached for reference). It would appear from follow on responses supplied to the press, once again, the North American market is being left in the cold.
We the following, represent the forgotten RS6 ownership here in North America. Only delivered in 2003, and subsequently 2004 in Canada, many of us have been faithful RS6 owners either from new, or from close to new. Some of us have owned two or three of them, over the last 10 years.
We are the heart and soul of twin turbo - eight cylinder Audi ownership. We were the first with DRC, we were the first with massively oversized eight piston brakes, we were the first with ZF transmissions not quite up to the task to take on the massive torque delivered by these wonderful vehicles. We lived with EGT sensors that required the removal of the block to change. We ARE the RS pioneers! And yes, we all still own and love them.
For the last 10 years……we have waited. We have waited with the hope that Audi of America will listen to its customer base. Waited with the hope that AoA would read our emails, answer our many phone calls, and finally we have waited for AoA to do the ‘right thing’.
We want, we need, no we deserve the 2014 RS6. Furthermore, we need the Avant! Now that Mercedes had announced the 2014 E63 AMG 4matic Wagon will be delivered to the US, there are many of us that will leave Audi in favor of the Stuttgart brand. Not out of choice, but out of necessity. Wagons are regaining popularity in this country following a mulit year dip. Having both the E63 AMG wagon, and the Cadillac CTS-V wagon available here, the Sport Wagon has started to gain momentum. Audi needs to bring the RS6 here to compete.
Don’t forget, we are the same market segment that buys the S8 for our date night car, and the A4, or a TT for our kids when they go off to college. There are MANY of us signed below that own 2 or more late model Audi’s, and when we switch to buy the E63AMG 4matic wagon, we will switch for everything.
If AoA’s opinion is that there is not a market for the RS6 here in the US, we would conclude that you have failed to truly understand your market. In fact, with the recent rise in popularity of Audi across North America, you are missing the chance to DEFINE a market. Isn't that what your billboard at Dulles Airport refers to...the brave thinkers that brought AoA to Washington DC?
The question that each of us here is asking….are you listening?
With over a hundred registered email addresses as signatures below, we implore you to reconsider, and bring the RS6 to the US. Most of us wait with our checkbooks in hand, ready to sign for an upcoming allocation.
Don’t let your greatest legacy in RS history be tarnished with the thought of ‘what if’ we had brought the RS6 Avant to the US?
We eagerly await your response, and your willingness to get behind us…your customer!
Warm regards,
The RS6.com Users Group