gengar

I actually know far more people who won't consider Audi for that reason. Some people don't want their $100,000 A8 to look like a $40,000 A4.

I disagree with them on their reasoning; nevertheless, I still like visual differences between models. I don't want my IS to look like a GS or an LS.

zippy99

>I actually know far more people who won't consider Audi for that reason. Some people don't want their $100,000 A8 to look like a $40,000 A4<

Yes, but my "bare bones" A5 get the reverse advantage in the example you give.

My guess, with no proof to back it up, is that Audi is *purposely* understating the hp of the 2.0t in this car. If you want to say this is magical thinking or rationalization I can understand but think about it: how can a 4 cylinder 210hp 2L car even stay within sight of the LS460 on the highway ramp?

Let's say the A5 is really between 240-250hp and with torque in the 260-280 range. Why on earth wouldn't Audi just promote the heck out of that?

-Setting expectations. They can't win customers on raw specs alone so they plead a weak case and get all the critics to give positive reviews when they drive it, "It's more powerful than we thought it would be!"

-Canabalization of S5 sales. 250hp is getting closer to 333 hp for that 10k difference. Sure, the S5 is infinitely faster, but do you want to spend 10k for 80hp more?

-Brand identity. If you want a fast car, get a Porsche. If you want a car with style and balance, get an Audi. Why try to beat BMW on horsepower and acceleration (a losing proposition) when you can use your strenghs to beat them? Design, Quattro, German luxury drive. It's unique. MB doesn't have it and neither does BMW.

Slam me if you will, but Apple has been very sucessful with this approach in the computing world and Audi may be following suit.

Ice350

iTrader: (1)

I believe most people who spend 50K+ for a car want model identification. Lexus certainly built their brand on model seperation. Lexus marketed their cars for leaders, idividuals who don't follow the crowd (at least according to early propoganda). Even now with the spindle grill, all the models have a different take on it.
The Audi grill is beautiful but all the models look too similar. I would definitely not want my 100K car to look like the base models. The only Audi I would want is the R8 because it can never be confused with the other models.....even from a mile away.

zippy99

Today's Forbes missed all the bare bones stuff:

http://tinyurl.com/ar6bvwm

The Most Affordable Luxury Cars

Want a plush car you can drive knowing it’s also a great value? Buy an Audi or a Porsche.

The Audi A5 and Porsche Panamera are two of the cars that made our list this year of the most affordable luxury vehicles on the market. They each offer creature comforts like heated leather seats, seamless music interfaces with high-quality speakers, stunning xenon LED headlamps and anti-crash technology but rate so well when it comes to depreciation, maintenance costs and interest rates that they are actually a better value over the long term than many cars that cost thousands of dollars less.

mmarshall

Anyone who trades in a car, takes that kind of a bath, and goes through all that trouble just over a set of LED lights, IMO, needs a quick course in Common Sense 101.

mjr24

Panamera and A5 are 2 different cars......not sure how they say both are most affordable. A5, as people have said is $40k barebones and lower 30's and upper 20's used.

The Panamera is 2 years old and used is still upper 60s and 70s.....for a barebones one...hardly affordable for most.

92 SC400

I have a better question: why has this drawn out to 7 pages? haha

The answer seems to be obvious: preferences.

LexFather

i think the A5 proves what good design does. As soon as it debuted everyone drooled over how it looked. People simply want to be in one and I honestly think the other merits like low hp don't matter.

CDNROCKIES

Affordable and Panamera do not belong in the same sentence.

I actually wanted a 4S before settling on our 7, but couldn't get past the $132K price tag and 7.2% interest rate. Maintenance costs are not cheap either. The only thing I would agree on is that the depreciation on Porsche's is pretty good comparitively.

spwolf

A5 s-line, great design, period.

almost got it... then remembered kids. damn them kids!

:-)

zippy99

>Anyone who trades in a car, takes that kind of a bath, and goes through all that trouble just over a set of LED lights, IMO, needs a quick course in Common Sense 101.<

The 2013 Lexus LX and GS 450h now have LED running lights. The 2013 LS460 has LED tail lights.

mmarshall

Definitely it's a looker...few people will argue with that. But, IMO, it would be even more of a looker with one of the last-generation Audi grilles, which were about half the size of the present ones.

zippy99

>Cars are depreciating like a MF'er it seems like right now because they are updating the things every 3 years with major updates. They weren't doing this 10 years ago....the upgrades were minor. It's one thing to pay $50k for a car that will be practically new looking for 5 years...it's another to pay $50k for one that will look new for 3 years.<

http://tinyurl.com/a428vyj

"Hagerty has released its annual “Hagerty Hot List” of the top 10 cars the insurance company believes will become collectible in 20 years. Hagerty’s list is comprised completely of 2013 model-year vehicles that the company thinks will still be desired by enthusiasts in 20 years."

"Audi RS5: Hagerty named the RS5 on its list because the collector car insurance company “think[s] the basic Audi A5 is one of the handsomest coupes on the market.”"