Which car rerpresents the Audi brand the most?

[LaArtist]

^exactly what i wanted to say in my previous post

 

[Yperion]

Audi makes so great cars that you don't know what to vote for.

A8=Top notch build quality and so sporty than the rivals can only dream of
A6=The safest car in it's class that E class (IIHS) and 5 series (4 stars EuroNCAP) fail to reach
A3=The model that started the trend of luxury hatchbacks
TT=Design Icon, has already written history, no other BMW or Mercedes of our time has achieved that
RS4=Sends the competition back to drawing board

 

[EnI]

Audi makes so great cars that you don't know what to vote for.

A8=Top notch build quality and so sporty than the rivals can only dream of
A6=The safest car in it's class that E class (IIHS) and 5 series (4 stars EuroNCAP) fail to reach
A3=The model that started the trend of luxury hatchbacks
TT=Design Icon, has already written history, no other BMW or Mercedes of our time has achieved that
RS4=Sends the competition back to drawing board

That's not the issue here. We all know Audi make superb cars, yet the question is not "Which is the best car in Audi line-up", but "Which car represents the Audi brand the most". We could say: "Which car shows the most what Audi brand stands for".

And you can't answer that until you know what Audi brand stands for. We had that debate not a long ago, and agreed Audi's "trade mark" is quattro, top notch fit&finish, and "hi-tech" solutions in every field (engines, transmissions, lighting, body-construction, etc). But still: what is Audi's core value?

Maybe all of the Audi models equally represent Audi core values, but also all BMW's represent "Ultimate driving machines" in their specific segments just as well as 3er does. And MB cars are definitely most luxurious in their segments. The "problem" is that there is no specific iconic model (i.e. 3er or S-class) in Audi's line-up which is a benchmark for all the other car in the segment, and it's easily & instantly associated with brand's core values.

Audi should more listen to thier slogan: "Never follow.", and really start to lead, and not just ... follow. They have excellent products, now the marketing should match them. And they need a product that will be a benchmark in its segment. Will R8 be that THE car?

Eg. TT was a bold & very succesful try - to position Audi brand as funky, special, design-led, sporty. But after TT they went conservative way, and later (a bit too late, IMO) they introduced trapezoid single grille. And now they try to reposition as design-led brand again. Yet today BMW is a brand with leading design.

 

[Top Secret]

I thought Audi's slogan was "Vorsprung Durch Technik"?

 

[EnI]

I thought Audi's slogan was "Vorsprung Durch Technik"?

They use "Never follow" slogan in NA market (USA & Canada), while "Vorsprung durch Technik" is used in some European countries (eg. Germany & UK)

Ie. BMW also uses several slogans: "Ultimate driving machine" (USA, UK, Australia), "The ultimate driving experience" (Canada), "Sheer driving pleasure" (South Africa, International slogan, Middle East), "Freude am Fahren" = "Driving pleasure / Pleasure in driving / Pleasure to drive" (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, also Italy & France (translated in Italian & French) and many other European countries).

 

[Centurion]

Interesting that in BMW & MB polls a result is very homogeneous:

MB: S-class leading 28/39 (72%) (MB = luxurious large sedan)
BMW: 3er leading 32/41 (78%) (BMW = sporty compact sedan)

While in an Audi poll the result is not so clear.

I guess some who claim Audi has a problem with their / image / position / what is Audi standing for / are right after all.

That is exactly why I haven't voted or posted anything at all in this thread. Audi is a really tricky brand. Design wise they have always played it safe and have designed cars which resemble one another. On the other hand they suprised us with the first generation TT which shocked the world with it's unique look. But then the car which were launched after it looked................like ordinary Audi cars and nothing more.
A couple of weeks ago Audi slaped us with the uber R8 which is a very desperate design exhibition that shows how confused Audi really is. It simply doesn't fit in with the other cars in the Audi line up. On the other hand MB and BMW have also had their design flops, the S-class and 7er.
What I'm trying to say I don't know which car to vote for since I really don't know what Audi stands for.

 

[Mr. M]

What I'm trying to say I don't know which car to vote for since I really don't know what Audi stands for.

That's right. We all know BMW means sporty, and there's the 3er sedan which is compact, affordable and most importantly, sporty. For luxury, we think Mercedes-Benz, with the S-Class. But when we think of Audi, Quattro comes to mind.

Problem 1: Quattro can be fitted in all Audis; it is a distinction of Audi cars in general but not of any one Audi.

Problem 2: None of their cars are really focused - they offer both sport and luxury without being a master in both - with the exception of the RS4 and the R8, which are both becoming more focused automobiles with apparent identities.

Problem 3: None of their cars have been a constant sales leader for years on end. The 3er and the S-Class on the other hand have a very successful and unbroken track record. Despite the worthiness of the latest Audi cars, they haven't built a reputation just yet.

 

[bln123]

just answering the topics question:

The A4 for sure! In Germany, this is the car that made Audi become what it is now! You see it everywhere due to its elegant, non flashy design, its great quality and the good value.

Without this good selling car Audi would not be where they are now.

 

[PanterroR]

Very true! That's why i too voted for A4...

 

[Young Worrior]

Audi would have the best line-up in the market. They're ourselling the 3 Series, 5 series and E class. Its so hard to choose because they're all good.

 

[Deutsch]

I'm surprised so many are saying the A4. For me it's always been the TT, because it's an icon design wise, unlike anything else we've seen before it. That's changing w/ the introduction of the R8, which takes TT design language and transforms it into a remarkable sculpture in sports car packaging to create a new Audi flagship in this brand defining moment for Audi.

 

[Merc1]

Interesting that in BMW & MB polls a result is very homogeneous:

MB: S-class leading 28/39 (72%) (MB = luxurious large sedan)
BMW: 3er leading 32/41 (78%) (BMW = sporty compact sedan)

While in an Audi poll the result is not so clear.

I guess some who claim Audi has a problem with their / image / position / what is Audi standing for / are right after all.

Although this poll is far from being representative, yet it shows Audi brand still hasn't got a very clear image - and they have a lot of work to do to make it clear.

Excellent products, but no clear image / position. Something like eg. Lexus is suffering from.

Yeah that is pretty much it. I'd say the A4 too here in the U.S. because that is their best seller and it was the car that brought them back from the brink in 1996. The A8 is a stunning car, but here in the U.S. it is an also ran when it comes to sales/prestige. It is either the A4 or A6 here in the U.S., but like you say it isn't clear, which is a problem for sure.

Lexus is known for the LS, RX and ES, but they made their rep on the LS models, LS400, LS430 and now LS460.

M

 

[Matt]

I completely agree with Luw, and Eni on this one. I am at a loss personally as to which is the "Audi car". Someone said the A4 because of it encompasses all the basic values of the company while also bringing the company up to Merc/Bimmer status in Germany at least. Sounds like the best bet..

 

[Poverty]

That's not the issue here. We all know Audi make superb cars, yet the question is not "Which is the best car in Audi line-up", but "Which car represents the Audi brand the most". We could say: "Which car shows the most what Audi brand stands for".

And you can't answer that until you know what Audi brand stands for. We had that debate not a long ago, and agreed Audi's "trade mark" is quattro, top notch fit&finish, and "hi-tech" solutions in every field (engines, transmissions, lighting, body-construction, etc). But still: what is Audi's core value?

Maybe all of the Audi models equally represent Audi core values, but also all BMW's represent "Ultimate driving machines" in their specific segments just as well as 3er does. And MB cars are definitely most luxurious in their segments. The "problem" is that there is no specific iconic model (i.e. 3er or S-class) in Audi's line-up which is a benchmark for all the other car in the segment, and it's easily & instantly associated with brand's core values.

Audi should more listen to thier slogan: "Never follow.", and really start to lead, and not just ... follow. They have excellent products, now the marketing should match them. And they need a product that will be a benchmark in its segment. Will R8 be that THE car?

Eg. TT was a bold & very succesful try - to position Audi brand as funky, special, design-led, sporty. But after TT they went conservative way, and later (a bit too late, IMO) they introduced trapezoid single grille. And now they try to reposition as design-led brand again. Yet today BMW is a brand with leading design.

Each of the german manufacturers "follow". Its called competition and us consumers benefit from that. To say audi are following isnt fair.

Also to say a manufacturer has a leading design is biased and subjective. Looks and styling are all subject. Arguably about 50 years ago you would get away with saying such things when most cars where boxy and a manufacturer released a model with flowing lines, but in this day and age no manufacturer really stands out design wise, as so many manufacturers take different routes and have different objectives. Just look at lamborghini and ferrari as an example. Could you honestly say that one is above the other design wise?

MB stands for luxury with the s-class.
BMW stands for driving pleasure with the 3 series.
I think that audi stands for both those things but with quattro, but because the company is still building its profile, and in relative terms to its success and social standing its a young company they still need a one or two more decades to be on equal, or above status to that of MB and BMW. I think the current lineup is succesfully building the foundations for audi to one day overtake BMW and MB.