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By 2015, Audi wanted to overtake BMW and become the world’s largest maker of premium cars. These plans have been postponed. Not until 2018, but until 2020. The road ”is getting bumpier,” Audi CEO Rupert Stadler told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung, and said that world domination now will happen “by 2020 at the latest. It is not about overtaking BMW tomorrow or the day after, but to seize and secure the top position.”
Says a snide Reuters: “Stadler had previously set a goal of making Audi the world’s top premium car maker by 2015.” Reuters says that sales of Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz cars grew in June at the slowest monthly rate so far this year, as sales in the key market of China continued to increase at a tepid rate.”
13 Comments on “Audi’s Plans For World Domination Postponed...”
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Automakers need to forget about world domination and just concentrate on staying profitable in an ever-changing economy. China will be the wake up call.
BMW makes better cars than Audi. Mercedes makes better cars than both.
In which parallel universe do you live? And whose technology and engineering is the basis for the Veyron?
Mercedes makes better c̶a̶r̶s̶ taxis than both.
Fixed that for you.
Audi and BMW also have tons of taxi models in Europe.
In which parallel universe?
Audi fanboys are funny. Veyron is built from scratch. Crucial parts of the car are even outsourced from small specialist compnaies that have never before and never after the Veyron project worked with VAG. Only thing that Veyron has from VAG car is digital odometer display from B5 Passat :)
FWD platform (cheaper to build and not-so-good balance of the whole car compared to RWD platform) and engine-gearbox sharing with cheaper Volkswagens-Seats-Skodas… is Audi true premium manufacturer? – its debatable with lot of Audi models.
…..and which BMW and or Mercedes part does the Veyron share? Sorry dude, but Audi wins. I think its time for you to make that $299 a month lease payment on your 325i and go to bed.
Sorry I drive a 1992 S13 :) How is the Veyron relevant in Audi trying to become global premium car sales leader?
Seat, Skoda, VW, Audi, Porsche, Lamborghini , Bentley, Ducati, Bugatti.
Obviously the ultimate parts bin, some might think that’s an advantage in a global economy.
BMW didn’t do quite as well with Rover but still has their motorcycles + Mini and Rolls Royce.
Daimler Benz “merged” with Chrysler, burned it to the ground and stole the $$$.
Nice Sprinter vans though!
The only Audis I know off that share platforms with VWs are the A1, A3 and the Q5 and Q7. The other Audis use their own platforms in which their FWD cars come with longitudinal engine layouts. VW, Skoda and Seat employ FWD/transverse layouts.
I look forward to seeing Audi make premium cars.
Audi makes decent mid-range premium cars with outstanding interiors and the innovative “Quattro” AWD system. But to overtake either BMW’s 7-Series or MB’s S-Class will take a lot, to say nothing about the resurge in Lexus. But MB itself is busily overtaking BMW in the luxury premium category, so Audi’s target may be misplaced. (Check GoodCar/BadCar sales statistics for 1st 6 months in 2012.) And, of course, neither BMW nor MB are just going to stand still and watch Audi ascend.
Audi’s have historically been a little more “delicate”; have had a poorer repair record; and have not had the crisp handling properties of BMW cars. Unless the world goes absolutely bonkers for hybrids in the next 8 years (in which case it’s a new game anyway), I doubt that Audi can pull this off. We’ll see.
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