audi has demonstrated that is the leader of the premium sport car makers when they inovate on every single model they present to the market!for example first and ONLY sunroof with voltaic cells to ventilate the interior without using the battery of the car, the first comercial car in the world with LED technology:AUDI R8 (i think i never saw lights like in the R8 in my whole life...i am speechless), first DRC in the world, Magneride on premium cars, extreme sport steering flat on the bottom of it like in the Formula 1 cars(RS4,S3,TT,R8), DSG (first gearbox with double shifted system that don't loose any torque and power when shifting) and many many more that BMW and MB didn't dream at it or it will develop systems very closer by Audi Technology!Vorsprung durch Technic...
You are choosing your examples from low volume models. The TT, A8 and Vette Z06 are all specialised models, this is easier the achieve when you are working with low volume cars. To achieve this with high volume motors requires a total rethink, even Jag decided to not to go down this route with the S-Type even though the basic structure was there from the XJ and it all came down to costs. On the A8, TT and R8 this models command a premium over their lesser brother, the TT is £4K more than the similar A3, the A8 is £15K+ over the A6 though both are roughly the same size and the R8 is based on the Gallardo. Even Porsche don't use alloy body/chassis on their models.
For Audi to choose alloy on it's next A6 would require an increase of at least £4~5K increase per model, now this may be acceptable for the S6 and RS6 it would destroy the sale of the basic A6s.
You guys have to stop thinking about the top model and think about the bigger picture. It easier and cheaper the increase the power and re-engineer the top models with minor weight reductions than a total weight reduction of the complete range.
Search and you will find the truth.
Agree. If audi adds the premium for weight reduction onto models like the S8, RS6, etc. then thats fine. For instance, creating an All new Aluminum body for the A4 sedan would result in a nominally large base price increase. This would affect competition with say the 3 series, is, etc.
you know you have right?but...ASF is a symbol of Audi and will grow with the next platform that it will be used for the new A4,A5,A6 and A8 so all the new cars from Audi will definetively have aluminium on their construction...look at the TT...so perfect in shassy...ASF will groth in Audi range for sure...that i heard from a post of Winterkorn at audiworld.com!so ASF, Quattro, single-frame,flat steering design are a symbol of Audi...nobody could copy that...
Actually...
The Z06 production run is @ 5,000 cars a year for the US alone. That may not sound like much, but that is 5 times the RS 6 run here (and really, it's 15 times the RS 6 run considering the Z06 will endure for 3 years minimum) so my point is the Z06 is not that low of a production run (yes, compared to the worldwide A6 run, maybe). And the TT is hardly a small production vehicle as tens of thousands sell here every year (nearly as many units as A3s).
No, it would not, this is really a matter of simple economics (my kinda field ). If the TT sells far less units than the A6 (which, although it sells close to the number of A3s here, it does not sell near the # of units that the A4s and A6s sell here) and can sell for $4K (8K USD) over the A3, why on Earth would the A6 (a much higher unit) need to charge a $4k (8K USD) premium? And consider too that the part of the TT's "premium" is for the total redesign over a A3 (total interior, exterior, safety "fees", etc...). My point? Again, the cost of an A6 designed from the beginning as including a high aluminum content could far better amortize the development cost than a "low volume" TT ever could.
If the development cost of such a project (additional aluminum only) was, for example, $150,000,000.00 (USD ) then to amortize that on a vehicle such as the TT, to come to the $4K ($8K USD) premium is only a projected 18,750units. Not very difficult for worldwide distribution. Now, lets say that Audi GmbH decided to give us a TT like Alu-front, steel rear and said project would actually be less (again, not a complete redesign like the TT/A3, but a design from the beginning) than the exampled development cost would be projected more like $110,000,000.00 (USD). Now, I'm thinking they could charge merely $1500.00 (USD) premium over last years "old tech" A6. For those figures to add up, Audi would need to sell 73,333.xx A6s. Not very difficult considering the A6 (C5) had a run (in the US) from 98'-03'! And that is just in the US! So how hard would it be for Audi to recoupe their costs over 5+ years worldwide on A6s if it designed that aspect of the Alu-front/steel rear from the beginning? Not very hard, not very hard at all.
Ben
Einstein once said, "I want to know God's thoughts, the rest are details."
Ron Paul Fan
Ben,
By the looks of it, you have it all worked out. All we need is to find the money for a take-over bid and with you as the head we will make VAG the biggest, most profitable car company in the world.
Search and you will find the truth.
it is the most profitable or it will be until 2015 according to Forbes Magazine...and another thing...Forbes said that Audi (just Audi not PAG, VAG it doesn't exist from 1.01.2007) will be NO.1 BEST PREMIUM CAR MAKERS IN THE WORLD...at this point Audi is no 2 after MB and 3 place is BMW...so Audi will beat MB soon..very soon...on materials used to build their cars are way better than BMW and MB, on sporty cars the same but on sales are liitle bit lower then MB but if you all know Audi sales are growing fast every month so...AUDI WILL BEAT AGAIN THE CRAP OF BMW AND MB!I just wait...
noushy
The RS4 is well over 4000, and that is a huge blow in the handling.
Have u driven the rs4?
Yes, I have driven the RS4 for a very brief amount of time. I love the car, but just too small for me. I am more curious how it will compare with the new M3 as far as handling.
Peace,
Noushy
Speed, Speed, and more Spe... oops the minivan?
2003 RS6 Mugello Blue (gone/turned in)
2003 911tt Cobalt Blue (gone/traded in)
2004 Cayenne Turbo Titanium Gray
2005 Toyota Sienna (until Q7 in May 07)
2007 M6 Saphire Black (loving it)
That's the 64,000 dollar question now isn't it.
I think we will be back to the old argument between the two, the M3 being the more entertaining on the track and the RS4 the competent and confidence inspiring on the road.
A bit like milkshake, strawberry or chocolate. What's your favourite?
Search and you will find the truth.
PAG=PORSCHE AUDI GROUP!RS4 it will handwell much better then the new M3...the DRC System works very very precise and i was amazed what you can do with that car!M3 is a shittie RWD car...the only car makers in the world who actually know how to made a quite efficient and sport RWD system are Porsche,Ferrari,Aston Martin and MB...that's it!
Why - If your not sure of anything - do you make shit up ?
PAG that you mean, actually stands for Porsche AG (Porsche AktienGesellschaft)
AktienGesellschaft = referring to a stock holding company (not Audi Group )
See also: Siemens AG, Deutche Bank AG and most others on the German stock exchanges.
In superstar's defense (difficult to btw), Porsche does have a 20% ownership in VAG, but I do not know of the group having a new name. I think he is just a little over enthusiastic, and I would try to keep the flaming down a bit. Superstar, it is great to love a certain brand or model (ie Audi or RS4), but be careful about bold statements that are difficult if impossible to prove (like M3 vs. RS4, since M3 is not even available yet). On the forums we try to be objective. It is okay to give your opinion, but make sure you state it that way.
Peace,
Noushy
Speed, Speed, and more Spe... oops the minivan?
2003 RS6 Mugello Blue (gone/turned in)
2003 911tt Cobalt Blue (gone/traded in)
2004 Cayenne Turbo Titanium Gray
2005 Toyota Sienna (until Q7 in May 07)
2007 M6 Saphire Black (loving it)