Audi's Sales Are Flagging Because There's No Reason To Buy One

[Kelvin2020]

Audi's Sales Are Flagging Because There's No Reason To Buy One

Audi may not offer the comfort or the performance of its competitors, but it does offer. Uh. Hmm.

jalopnik.com

 

[CRSKTN]

Audi should've been a more tech-centric derivation of Porsche.
Tolerate some weight and give up that 10/10ths performance for experimental tech, less design language restrictions, more comfort, slightly better value.

The R8 was them tripping over this from another direction.
There should've been Porsche derived vehicles below the R8.
What if the RS7 was the Panamera, and then we didn't have to look at the Panamera.
Lets you push models upmarket, and push appeal of entry level models as being down-market versions of what are dream cars for many.

 

[Gor134]

Sales should jump once the new models are out next year.

Currently, the newest-generation model, the POS Q4 is 3 years old.

Top selling Q5 and A5 are entering their 8th model year on sale, Q7 and A4 are in their 9th model year on sale. Outdated and stale.

New A5 will finally launch Q2 next year followed by the Q5, then the A7 will launch later in the year replacing the A6, and Q7 will probably be a 2026 launch.

 

[F1 Silver Arrows]

Sales should jump once the new models are out next year.

Currently, the newest-generation model, the POS Q4 is 3 years old.

Top selling Q5 and A5 are entering their 8th model year on sale, Q7 and A4 are in their 9th model year on sale. Outdated and stale.

New A5 will finally launch Q2 next year followed by the Q5, then the A7 will launch later in the year replacing the A6, and Q7 will probably be a 2026 launch.

Ironically the A5 and Q5 look stunning to this day and I don't feel like they're outdated even in the slightest. It's the perfect blend of tech and luxury.

 

[Gor134]

Ironically the A5 and Q5 look stunning to this day

I welcome the B10s with wide open arms, but I have not been a fan of the B9.5 facelift of the current gens :/ Previous B8 gen.. loooove those (biased cos I own one)

 

[CRSKTN]

This will help

https://www.motor1.com/features/740211/audi-launches-namesake-car-brand/

The real issue here holding Audi back was their clear branding and 4 ring logo



There. That's better.

 

[Gor134]

China only

 

[Flagship1]

Audi needs to learn to offer better product in the future, but also support their current fleet way better with sales support. They seem to prefer not to indulge the same tactics almost every mass market luxury brand uses including Lexus. inflated residuals, dealer discounts, factory cash, and captive subvented financing.

They do have some absolute home runs like the rs7, and those still run without any interference.

 

[Levi]

The reason Audi sold well in Europe was TDI diesel engines, made desirable by their R8 and RS model with sharp design. At this period Audi spent huge amounts in product placement and sponsorship. This successful brand image appealed to Chinese buyers. With Dieselgate and consequently VAGs push for BEVs left Audi behind. And Chinese growing patriotism towards their own brands hurt Audi further.

 

[ssun30]

Audi's success in China had nothing to do with TDI or RS. Audi 100 and 200 were the first western cars made in China through JV. They mostly sold to government use. The A6L was the most common official car in the 2000s. Audi's fall was due to anti-corruption which limited spending on official cars and Benz/BMW also being made in China.

 

[mikeavelli]

Audi forgot the main reason they made massive grounds were for 5 main reasons.
1. Styling Inside and Out
2. Aspirational
3. Price was cheaper than the other Germans
4. Fantastic marketing
5. Product was on point

Styling is a hot mess today in comparison to previous generations. Each now one looks more like a Kia with an unpainted front. The interior lost its Audi charm for screens like everyone else.

You can’t dump the R8, TT and the 2 door A/S/RS5 and wonder why you are now uncool. They were small volume cars but highly aspirational and made the brand cool. Today Audi will give you 800 crossovers that look the same.

Audis cache still isn’t BMW or Benz for whatever reasons. Now they cost as much if not more in some cases.

Audi had some pretty cool ads and marketing campaigns. Jason Stratham making fun of Bmw, benz, Lexus? The led lights one. etc Today I can’t think of anything recent that wowed me.

This to me isn’t nothing they can’t fix with product. But they have moved to EV crossovers and dropping sedans left and right and dropped every single coupe. Not good. Could you imagine bmw or benz with not one 2 door?

Insanity

 

[CRSKTN]

I have a feeling VW group is ringfencing and repositioning brands more than before to specific archetypes or focus'

 

[Gor134]

Loss of 2 door coupe is indeed grave, Audi should have had a new "quattro" sports car like the quattro concept in 2010, to take the roll of A5/TT/R8 in one. Hopefully that means more Avants in the US to take the niche roll.

FWIW, Audi's not abandoning any sedans other than the ICE "sportback" styles.

We have the new A5 and new A7 in a few months. A8 due for another refresh as the A8 e-Tron is delayed till who knows when.

Q6 e Tron is a much needed EV addition followed by A6 e-Tron, meanwhile the Q8 e-Tron SUV is discontinued this coming February.

Future product does include the Q9 as the only new addition to the lineup.

 

[carguy420]

With how many BMWs these days having xDrive and Mercs having 4Matic, Audi's Quattro AWD system doesn't stand out in the market quite like it used to IMO. They could really use a new USP to help boost sales, be it really cool styling like their 1st gen Audi R8 days or some clever engineering.

 

[mikeavelli]

With how many BMWs these days having xDrive and Mercs having 4Matic, Audi's Quattro AWD system doesn't stand out in the market quite like it used to IMO. They could really use a new USP to help boost sales, be it really cool styling like their 1st gen Audi R8 days or some clever engineering.

That’s a good point. Audi awd was a key advantage before. Today everyone has awd.

 

[mikeavelli]

Top Gear just said the new A5 is still a clear step behind the old 3 series…

 

[carguy420]

Audi backflips on odds-and-evens naming strategy to split electric from combustion models

Audi has backflipped on its odds-and-evens ICE and EV naming scheme, with the new A6 to keep its name.

www.drive.com.au

I'm not sure if Audi will be able to turn things around in these few years and make their cars more appealing again when they are preoccupied with things like this.

 

[Gecko]

Changing names just because they're changing powertrains is one of the stupidest brand/marketing/product moves I've ever heard of -- and that includes Lexus who appears set to drop all of their legacy names for new ones.

Buyers, shoppers, families, friends, coworkers, etc. know "A4," "A6," "Q5," etc and have the expectation that as those product lines evolve, they include new powertrain options. "New A4" is a much easier case to make with buyers than "We have a new compact sedan that's now electric-only, and we call it A5, but it's basically the same as the old A4, we just decided to change what we call it."

An S class is an S class whether it is ICE, PHEV, hybrid, or something else. Same for C, E, 3, 5, 7, Corvette, etc.

Some brands would KILL for the brand equity of "A4" or "A6" or "GS" or "LS" and yet Lexus, Audi, and others are eager to throw them away. I don't understand it.

Look at Infiniti, Cadillac, and Lincoln: their lineups have had so many different names for the same models that even enthusiasts can't keep up with what they're called or which new model replaced an older model, let alone buyers.

 

[Gor134]

Audi has had some management issues for the past 5 years, a lot of the execs got the boot in the last 2 years and the new execs are doing damage control to reverse the idiotic changes they made, such as the nomenclature change and the removal of S badging from S cars. Unfortunately don't think the cheap new Audi rings are going to change anytime soon.

The only car to have been affected by this nomenclature change is basically the A5, which isn't necessarily an issue in the US given the A5 Sportback has been outselling the A4.. that being said A5 Sportback owners are going to be upset with the less style-oriented design.

 

[carguy420]

Changing names just because they're changing powertrains is one of the stupidest brand/marketing/product moves I've ever heard of -- and that includes Lexus who appears set to drop all of their legacy names for new ones.

Buyers, shoppers, families, friends, coworkers, etc. know "A4," "A6," "Q5," etc and have the expectation that as those product lines evolve, they include new powertrain options. "New A4" is a much easier case to make with buyers than "We have a new compact sedan that's now electric-only, and we call it A5, but it's basically the same as the old A4, we just decided to change what we call it."

An S class is an S class whether it is ICE, PHEV, hybrid, or something else. Same for C, E, 3, 5, 7, Corvette, etc.

Some brands would KILL for the brand equity of "A4" or "A6" or "GS" or "LS" and yet Lexus, Audi, and others are eager to throw them away. I don't understand it.

Look at Infiniti, Cadillac, and Lincoln: their lineups have had so many different names for the same models that even enthusiasts can't keep up with what they're called or which new model replaced an older model, let alone buyers.

Lexus yeeting the cars that build their brand off a cliff.

Meanwhile the Corolla at its 12th generation, most likely with a 13th gen that's not far away.

I don't know if TMC these days thinks that Lexus directly challenging the German brands' luxury sedans is a futile effort or something, even though they can make totally make cars that are fast, handle well and look good. Imagine the Land Cruiser 300's TTV6 and transmission being stuffed into an IS or a GS, they would pretty damn fast assuming they aren't severely overweight for what they are.