Audi A5

[Zac]

Not sure how this is considered the future style of coupes... looks rather subdued

You made my point perfectly - the 3 series was not designed by Bangle but was lambasted by all media and sundry for being utterly boring. On the back of the new 5, 6 and 7 series designed by Bangle it was indeed boring!

But it is no less pedestrian than all the BMW boxes that came before Bangle's. (I do like BMWs).

[MickyD]

I think the 3 coupe looks a million times better in the metal. The rear end is still a bit bland, but they have a fantastic 'stance'... but then I quite like the normal 3-series as well.

[kwottr0]

The thing is, generally speaking, a BMW buyer wants a car that says "LOOK AT MY CAR, IT'S A BMW, ISN'T THAT SWELL ?!!!", whereas an audi driver wants a car that says "Don't mind me, I'm just passing through, bye."
Or as a bloke on the autoblog site said, 'Audi buyers have never really been extrovert - they've always gone for the understated power, elegance and quality' (His words, not mine). So maybe Audi can get away with looking a bit 'boring', as long as the car and the engine come up with the goods ? I tend to agree, but then I do quite like Audis.

[Kaiser]

Not a fan of the new BMW ... but I could see myself driving the Audi.

[hakosuka]

You made my point perfectly - the 3 series was not designed by Bangle but was lambasted by all media and sundry for being utterly boring. On the back of the new 5, 6 and 7 series designed by Bangle it was indeed boring!

Take your pick 5 6 7...ugly or (new) 3...boring. Not a winning combination in my book. Yes I know know global sales are up and people say that this vindicates the new Bangle or otherwise "design" language. I would wager that more people have more $$ to spend and want a status conscious lifestyle accessory-Badge Mad Wankers to make it perfectly simple for the dummies.

But I have more eyesight than money-they still suck big time and I wouldn't buy one if they were the price of a Daewoo. E46 M3 etc etc is another story.

But it is no less pedestrian than all the BMW boxes that came before Bangle's.

So the E43 was a "box"? The 3.0 CSL was a "box"? The M1 was a "box"? The E34 a "box"?......

(I do like BMWs).

Why not just admit you are a fanboy

[Zac]

hehe, my old foes hakosuka and rj-astra. Should we just agree to disagree on Bangle.. again!

[hakosuka]

www.optometrists.asn.au/

[rj_astra]

the 3 series was not designed by Bangle but was lambasted by all media and sundry for being utterly boring. On the back of the new 5, 6 and 7 series designed by Bangle it was indeed boring!

The 5 series wasn't designed by Bangle at all AFAIK. Some dutch guy

[hakosuka]

The 5 series wasn't designed by Bangle at all AFAIK. Some dutch guy

Might as well have been styled by the Mangle. It has a nice stance and overall proportions but the front and rear end look horrendous.

[Road_Terrorist]

The thing is, generally speaking, a BMW buyer wants a car that says "LOOK AT MY CAR, IT'S A BMW, ISN'T THAT SWELL ?!!!", whereas an audi driver wants a car that says "Don't mind me, I'm just passing through, bye."
Or as a bloke on the autoblog site said, 'Audi buyers have never really been extrovert - they've always gone for the understated power, elegance and quality' (His words, not mine). So maybe Audi can get away with looking a bit 'boring', as long as the car and the engine come up with the goods ? I tend to agree, but then I do quite like Audis.

Doesn't that fall down when talking about the TT though? People only bought that because of it's extrovert design, otherwise it was basically a Golf or A3 underneath. The new Audi R8 is hardly a wall flower either, it's the most outrageous looking machine in it's class by far.

Most BMW stuff is also very discreet when you think about stuff like M5s and M3s, which are barely distinguishable from base models, in fact all of the German companies are generally fairly conservative as far as styling goes, compared to say the French or Italians. The main reason most people would choose Audi is because they don't quite have the prat driver/yuppie/drug dealer/sales manager, reputations BMW and Mercedes have acquired over the years. BMW has been a victim of it's own success in this regard, acquiring something of a bad reputation (everyone knows the BMW driver stereotype, I suffered unprovoked hatred and snide comments from other people all the time in my old BMW, one of the factors in my selling it) so these drivers have been flocking to Audi as the new discreet yuppie machine of choice, especially now everyone hates the new BMW designs. The problem for Audi is that now Audi drivers are getting a reputation from all the prat drivers who have changed allegence.

The funny thing is, Audi and BMW are almost swapping brand philosophy. Audi is concentrating on high output naturally aspirated engines, like the RS4, which used to be BMW territory, while BMW is suddenly switching to turbocharged engines, which waspreviously fairly unique for Audi compared to the other german companies. Audi has also taken over BMWs conservative style with same shape in different sizes and breaking with tradition to make more performance saloons instead of sticking with uber wagons only (remember RS2 and old RS4 were available as wagons only). Meanwhile BMW is beginning to offer performance wagons with the new M5 and maybe new M3, where previously they hardly ever bothered with powerful wagons aside from the anomalous E34 M5 wagon.

What's next? BMW going all wheel drive and Audi going RWD only :rotflol:

[tremolo]

^ Good points, good post.

[kwottr0]

Agreed. I don't know whose idea the original TT was, and I never liked it much. I think the R8, or the original Lemans concept, came to fruition after a decision about 5-7 yrs ago (?) when VW announced that Audi would become one of the 'sport' marques of the group (along with SEAT, IIRC. Other brands would go towards luxury, another towards beige motoring, etc). There was a lot of marketing waffle, but I was happy as it meant that audi would at least continue to develop and release high performance models. But I hope that the A5 doesn't mean that they will just dilute their model line-up with something for everyone, in pursuit of the mighty american dollar.

Whatever...I just wish they'd get back into rallying !!