Geneva Gallery: Audi A1

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

The Audi A1 is huge in the sense that it is the main test case for the hypothesis that luxury brands can get folks to pay premium prices for a subcompact car not named MINI. And it had better work, because those European emissions standards are murder. Next up: Mercedes and BMW-branded FWD subcompacts, scheduled to hit the Auto Show tour over the next several years.




Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • Tricky Dicky Tricky Dicky on Mar 04, 2010

    This is the whole point of the A1 - premium brand, premium prices, volume costs. In fact, it's almost the whole point of VW. R&D is capitalised through Audi, profits come from Audi, VW, Seat and Skoda are used to tap different market segments but ultimately contribute little to profit, but great for (common) parts volume. People (often) know it's 80% of the same bits under the hood as the cheaper brand in the garage next door, but they are suckered into having the cute rings on the front to show off to their neighbours and colleagues. Kerrching Wolfsburg.

  • Ricky Spanish Ricky Spanish on Mar 05, 2010

    http://www.untitledarchive.com/post_images/6646_fish-monster.jpg no idea how to post images here so . . . . click the link.

  • Michael Gallagher I agree to a certain extent but I go back to the car SUV transition. People began to buy SUVs because they were supposedly safer because of their larger size when pitted against a regular car. As more SUVs crowded the road that safety advantage began to dwindle as it became more likely to hit an equally sized SUV. Now there is no safety advantage at all.
  • Probert The new EV9 is even bigger - a true monument of a personal transportation device. Not my thing, but credit where credit is due - impressive. The interior is bigger than my house and much nicer with 2 rows of lounge seats and 3rd for the plebes. 0-60 in 4.5 seconds, around 300miles of range, and an e-mpg of 80 (90 for the 2wd). What a world.
  • Ajla "Like showroom" is a lame description but he seems negotiable on the price and at least from what the two pictures show I've dealt with worse. But, I'm not interested in something with the Devil's configuration.
  • Tassos Jong-iL I really like the C-Class, it reminds me of some trips to Russia to visit Dear Friend VladdyPoo.
  • ToolGuy New Hampshire
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