After looking through the past 4 pages of varying opinions and varying chops showcasing a much more aggressive A6 (ala new A4), I can't help but view this from a marketing standpoint and wonder if an aggressive design is what the A6 needs.
We know in the 3er/C/A4 class of vehicles, both Audi and Mercedes have moved towards providing a more dynamic driving experience, and have also incorporated rather aggressive design elements in their new A4 and C-class respectively in a bid to portray a more youthful, sporty and fun image to attract younger buyers and to also try and negate the advantage the 3 series has in being seen as a dynamic, sporty and fun-to-drive car (along with its sporty appearance). Now I believe such a move to a more youthful and aggressive image for the C-class and A4 is needed to combat the top-selling 3 series because it's only natural to try and offer the same mix of ingredients as the market-leader to try and erode that leader's dominance... but this example applies specifically for the youthful and sporty market the 3er, A4 and C-class are focusing on.
When it comes to the A6, E-class and 5er, in my opinion it seems that buyers are less focused on which of these cars is the more sportier, more aggressive in appearance and possess the most youthful image. To me they are more focused on owning a vehicle which blends some of the sportiness of the smaller models (3er, A4, C-class) while incorporating a greater proportion of imagery related to class, luxury and status that comes from each manufacturers top-end models (7er, A8, S-class). So in essence, the middle models - the 5er, E-class and A6 - possess a blend of sportiness and elegance. With these wave of next-generation A6 chops, it seems as though Audi is moving to an image of out-right aggression and sportiness with their car lacking any sense of balance between sportiness and luxury.
To me the new A4 with its ultra-aggressive appearance portrays a sense of desperation on Audi's part to take the fight to te 3er. It's as if they're trying to say 'if you think the 3 series is sporty and dynamic, then have a look at our A4!'. It's as if they've asked the guys who design their S and RS models to design the normal A4. Just imagine if the design elements of the M3 or C63 were included in the design of a normal 3er or C-class... it would look too desperate and in the case of the new A4 it seems like a quick-and cheap-fix strategy to close the gap to the 3er's clear-cut and highly popular image.
So it would be a crying shame of Audi were to do the same with the new A6. We all know that the new 5er will be more aggressive, more dynamic and more sporty than the current 5er, but that's completely normal since BMW has built their brand image around sportiness first and luxury second (though this has caused some issues in the US market).... but if Audi were to undertake the strategy of making the A6's visual appearance exude connotations associated with total aggression and total sportiness, then I believe it would dilute Audi's philosophy of understated luxury.
Seems like they're moving in the exact same direction that BMW did when they brought into Chris Bangle. Out with the old understated luxury approach, and in with a more dynamic look. Big difference is that although Bangle and his team have created more daring, sporty and dynamic looking vehicles, they have remained restrained from designing all-out aggressive cars. They have managed to maintain BMW's classy and luxury image, while still producing eye-catching and emotive designs.
So after all that.. my question is:
Do you think it's wise for Audi to pursue a design strategy where the A6 becomes a car that is all-out aggressive in its appearance, with design elements such as:
- highly-flared wheel arches
- aggressive wheel design (the standard A4 has wheels which are very similar to the RS4.. you wouldn't expect this on a standard model unless you opted for an optional Sports Package)
- sporty grille-design with S and RS style cross-hass design
- very wide and open air-intakes with that 'pushing out from under the skin' look that you see on S and RS models (though featured on the standard A4)
- very deep low-slung body crease that runs from the front wheel to the rear of the car (ala new A4 and A5)
- aggressive rear diffusor design with extra emphasis on twin-exhaust tips
- use of LED's in the headlights to create a distinctive 'glaring at you with aggression' look at night that the A5 and R8 have
Do they risk diluting their understated-luxury design image, and in the process upset those customers and Audi enthusiasts who very much love this design philosophy?
When BMW went dynamic with the E60 5er, many old-school BMW fans complained and I'm sure many potential 5er customers jumped-ship to the new A6 which provided that understated-luxury imagery that turned the E39 5er into a classic and widely-loved car. Of course we now know that the E60 5er has still been a sales success, but what it did was give-up the market of buyers who prefer simple, elegant, understated and non-flashy designed vehicles.
If the A6 goes down the road of the new A4 and incorporates S and RS-like design elements, will it be too risky a strategy to try and take-on BMW's and the 5er's image, while at the same time leaving the understated-luxury market of buyers to only the E-class ??
If all these chops are of the new S6 or RS6 then I completely understand, but that's what I thought when chops of the new A4 were floating around until the car was revealed and left me suprised that the standard A4 had received such aggressive styling.
