Audi design?

[Missingbadly]

Mrs Missingbadly was looking to change her wheels. We went to a local Audi garage and lurked about looking at the A5. However I have to say looking at the cars in the forecourt all lined up I had this deja vu to 1988 looking at Ford Sierras outside a now defunct dealership at a time when all the brush company salesmen in the country had them and the pecking order was dependant on the badge on the back. Also at that time Audis were the stuff of dreams.
Is it me or have Audi got stuck in a rut? They seem very samey, but it might be they were all similar shades of 1950's pea-souper. I'm sure there are stonking versions out there, but is it something to do with the marque design of the mid range cars?

[LordHaveMurci]

As long as it's in white it looks good to the neighbours & work colleagues, nothing else matters does it?

[Rawwr]

There used to be a time when the vast majority of vehicles on the road were Sierras, Escorts, Cavaliers and Astras. All that's happened now is these have been replaced by 3-Series, 1-Series, A4s and A3s.

People moved away from Ford and Vauxhall to BMW and Audi in pursuit of something premium and exclusive, failing to realise that if everyone buys a mass-produced shed, it's not going to be premium or exclusive.

One day the BMWs and Audis will be replaced by erm, Kias and Protons or something.

[JuniorD]

I think their customers take comfort from the boring samey-ness of their designs. The saloons and coupes are utterly unremarkable but they still make a good looking estate.

If you want intesteing looking, probably better off going French.

[mwstewart]

This isn't new though. Take the late 1990's:

B5 A4:


A3 8L:


A8:


The late '80's generation was the same, as was the early 80's.

There are just a lot more of them on the road these days.

[JuniorD]

Ahh but they all looked better in the late 1990s than now.

[Ali_T]

LordHaveMurci said:

As long as it's in white it looks good to the neighbours & work colleagues, nothing else matters does it?

And it's available on an artificially propped up lease deal, of course.

[Missingbadly]

Will this be the demise of Audi - I mean did the TT artificially prop them up for a while?

[mwstewart]

JuniorD said:

Ahh but they all looked better in the late 1990s than now.

I liked the B5 and Mk1 TT, but that was it really. I think the new S3 Saloon is one of the best looking cars Audi have produced:

[Sensibleboy]

So where do things go from here with these mainstream premium brands? Their dominance wont last forever surely?Is this where the like of Maserati step In with new lower prices models to steal customers from the likes of the big three?

[ging84]

who was dreaming about audis in the 80s?
they made one interesting car, in a time where group B meant so did every other manufacturer

[Missingbadly]

Sensibleboy said:

So where do things go from here with these mainstream premium brands? Their dominance wont last forever surely?Is this where the like of Maserati step In with new lower prices models to steal customers from the likes of the big three?

Maybe they just need to give their designers something else to watch in the breakout area other than old reruns of Taggart

[Missingbadly]

ging84 said:

who was dreaming about audis in the 80s?
they made one interesting car, in a time where group B meant so did every other manufacturer

Me for one

[dbdb]

I don't remember many people dreaming of owning an Audi in the '80s - they were a kind of German Volvo back then.

Audi A4, BMW 3S eries and Mercedes C Class are todays Sierra.

I find Audi's designs to be very bland, but when compared to the crass and brash horrors Mercedes is styling, that's probably a good thing.

[ging84]

Missingbadly said:

Me for one

nightmare about becoming an under appreciated lower middle manager?

[Claudia Skies]

Missingbadly said:

Is it me or have Audi got stuck in a rut? They seem very samey, but it might be they were all similar shades of 1950's pea-souper.

IMO Audi build one car available in seven sizes. I can barely tell them apart.

Mind you, I struggle with the Aston range as well.

[berlintaxi]

Oh goody, another Audi bashing thread must be all of 15 minutes since the last one.

[Mr2Mike]

berlintaxi said:

Oh goody, another Audi bashing thread must be all of 15 minutes since the last one.

How did I know there would be an Audi in your garage?

[Swanny87]

Claudia Skies said:

IMO Audi build one car available in seven sizes. I can barely tell them apart.

Mind you, I struggle with the Aston range as well.

I kid you not, I actually saw a genuine Audi ad comparing buying an Audi to buying shoes. Not directly in the advert, but there was a pic of an A3 saloon and an A4 saloon and the tag line was something like "Audi saloon... Pick your size".

Many LOLs were had.

[Riley Blue]

I find the styling of BMW rather same-ish, so what?