Quattro369:Im an AUDI driver and its a shame to see them once again bringing up the rear and following the herd. Why cant we have more innovation from the VW group?
Hello again Quattro369, you've really got me thinking this morning! Whether or not Audi are lagging in matters of unique pioneering technology you may have a point. After all, Mercedes/Daimler are right now considering suing Audi for infringement of their patent, Bluetec - clean up of nitrous oxides emissions from diesel engines using urea in a catalyst. Mercedes claim Audi have incorporated the technology on recent show cars and are planning market introduction before Mercedes themselves, the patent holder, on the A4 model later this summer(C/E class end of year in Europe). Mercedes licences the techology and charges around €25-45 per vehicle. Now, all that notwithstanding Audi in matters critical acclaim and sales seem to be gaining the upper hand on their two main German rivals in the prestige middle and upper segments. The new A4, whether Autocar thinks it or not, has been universally judged in its home market to be a good distance ahead of the 3 series and C class. This applies to the main petrol representative 1.8TFSI and diesel 2.0TDI. The new, electronic driver assists like lane assist and so on may be trivial but the repostioning of the front axle, engine and gearbox to give a longer wheelbase and better weight distribution more akin to a rear-driver is certainly a breakthrough for front-drive technology. Again on the sales, all-round competency point the new A3 cabriolet is rated higher than the also new BMW 1 series cabriolet as a further example. Audi have the equal of anyone's engine range with petrol direct injection and low capacity turbocharged units surpassing BMW's small, high reving but low torque 4 cyl. petrols, and finally seem to have cracked their stiff ride/suspension problems. Finally, Audi have set themselves the target of surpassing BMW and Mercedes as the no.1 prestige car maker by 2015, measured in sales numbers of course but also in covering all niches and being class-leading in key technologies. And don't forget that it is the ex-Audi boss who is now head of VW Group and Audi should therefore far from suffer when it comes to accessing latest Group technology innovations.