every car is an Audi A3
Discussion
Is there any truth in this ?
I'm not too up on modern cars but apart from the Evora, most newish cars I have driven just feel like an Audi A3 to me. Same over assisted steering with zero feel. Same VAGesque feeling from the suspension with the same sort of spring rates and firm but supple damping. A general feeling of taughtness but actually pretty mediocre body control underneath it all. A sense of gliding floatyness when pressing on but one which tends to make you feel disconnected and very remote from the car. A gearbox that has a bit of precision engineered in in a fake sort of way but offering absolutely zero resistance or any feeling that it is a control derived from engineered metal and cogs and nice moving parts that mesh together. And so on and so on ....
In summary: whether its a lambo or a lada, a porsche or a perodua, I approach all cars these days expecting them to feel like an Audi A3.
I'm not too up on modern cars but apart from the Evora, most newish cars I have driven just feel like an Audi A3 to me. Same over assisted steering with zero feel. Same VAGesque feeling from the suspension with the same sort of spring rates and firm but supple damping. A general feeling of taughtness but actually pretty mediocre body control underneath it all. A sense of gliding floatyness when pressing on but one which tends to make you feel disconnected and very remote from the car. A gearbox that has a bit of precision engineered in in a fake sort of way but offering absolutely zero resistance or any feeling that it is a control derived from engineered metal and cogs and nice moving parts that mesh together. And so on and so on ....
In summary: whether its a lambo or a lada, a porsche or a perodua, I approach all cars these days expecting them to feel like an Audi A3.
BEFORE ALL THE APSERGERS MATHS GENIUSES COME ALONG PLEASE TAKE NOTE:
I don't literally mean ALL cars, like every single one. I mean teh very latest caterham isn't going to feel like an A4 is it. A Dennis fire engine probably won't either, nor a smart car. My language is more expressive here. You know metaphor, hyperbole, humour even. Like when Clarkson says being 'set on fire' is better fun than driving a certain car HE DOESN'T ACTUALLY MEAN THAT. You do realise that don't you ? Being set on fire in real life is probably quite painful don't you think ? It's creative language here kids, you know where the way the words FEEL is more important that the actual specific content which can be empirically verified in a Laboratory.
Ok, so.. as you were ....
I don't literally mean ALL cars, like every single one. I mean teh very latest caterham isn't going to feel like an A4 is it. A Dennis fire engine probably won't either, nor a smart car. My language is more expressive here. You know metaphor, hyperbole, humour even. Like when Clarkson says being 'set on fire' is better fun than driving a certain car HE DOESN'T ACTUALLY MEAN THAT. You do realise that don't you ? Being set on fire in real life is probably quite painful don't you think ? It's creative language here kids, you know where the way the words FEEL is more important that the actual specific content which can be empirically verified in a Laboratory.
Ok, so.. as you were ....
I do think the popularity of certain design qualities has become quite widespread. Korean car companies for example trying to move in on the euro market have tried to recreate the "feels solid/soft touch plastic/artificially heavy but slightly woolly steering/doors go clunk/firm ride/looks a bit sporty even though it isn't" type of thing - which VW/Audi/etc have succeeded with.
Same with Citroen's advert where they pretend the C5 is made in Germany
Same with Citroen's advert where they pretend the C5 is made in Germany
jackal said:
BEFORE ALL THE APSERGERS MATHS GENIUSES COME ALONG PLEASE TAKE NOTE:
I don't literally mean ALL cars, like every single one. I mean teh very latest caterham isn't going to feel like an A4 is it. A Dennis fire engine probably won't either, nor a smart car. My language is more expressive here. You know metaphor, hyperbole, humour even. Like when Clarkson says being 'set on fire' is better fun than driving a certain car HE DOESN'T ACTUALLY MEAN THAT. You do realise that don't you ? Being set on fire in real life is probably quite painful don't you think ? It's creative language here kids, you know where the way the words FEEL is more important that the actual specific content which can be empirically verified in a Laboratory.
Ok, so.. as you were ....
Still smarting from that other thread I see I don't literally mean ALL cars, like every single one. I mean teh very latest caterham isn't going to feel like an A4 is it. A Dennis fire engine probably won't either, nor a smart car. My language is more expressive here. You know metaphor, hyperbole, humour even. Like when Clarkson says being 'set on fire' is better fun than driving a certain car HE DOESN'T ACTUALLY MEAN THAT. You do realise that don't you ? Being set on fire in real life is probably quite painful don't you think ? It's creative language here kids, you know where the way the words FEEL is more important that the actual specific content which can be empirically verified in a Laboratory.
Ok, so.. as you were ....
pilchardthecat said:
I do think the popularity of certain design qualities has become quite widespread. Korean car companies for example trying to move in on the euro market have tried to recreate the "feels solid/soft touch plastic/artificially heavy but slightly woolly steering/doors go clunk/firm ride/looks a bit sporty even though it isn't" type of thing - which VW/Audi/etc have succeeded with.
Same with Citroen's advert where they pretend the C5 is made in Germany
Why wouldn't they go with a successful formula?. You may not like their offerings, but VAG seem to be doing OK. Certainly well enough for the Asian manufacturers to take notice and want to grab a piece of their pie.Same with Citroen's advert where they pretend the C5 is made in Germany
Lots of other cars out there that offer quirkiness or character or whatever it is one's heart desires.
pilchardthecat said:
I do think the popularity of certain design qualities has become quite widespread. Korean car companies for example trying to move in on the euro market have tried to recreate the "feels solid/soft touch plastic/artificially heavy but slightly woolly steering/doors go clunk/firm ride/looks a bit sporty even though it isn't" type of thing - which VW/Audi/etc have succeeded with.
Same with Citroen's advert where they pretend the C5 is made in Germany
Same with Citroen's advert where they pretend the C5 is made in Germany
Which is a shame, because I don't actually like the 'VW' approach at all. I actually prefer cars (unless they're meant to be 'luxury cars') to feel a little bit more brittle and light on their feet.
I'm sick and tired of being told that 'advancements' like this are 'what the people want'. No-one asked me at any point what I want or like in a car, a music player, a phone etc and if asked I'd have come up with something completely different, so all I can assume is that either 'market research' is dead and people are just 'told' what they want through advertising, or companies are very selective about asking people to comment and are probably just seeking approval for their new product than genuinely looking for a design direction.
volvoforlife said:
The new cars do feel quite numb. Audis are the worst of the lot.
But given our horrible roads full of potholes (especially in Yorkshire) I don't blame manufacturers for trying to disconnect us from the road.
Unfortunately it seems with their suspension Audis are forcibly reconnecting us though.But given our horrible roads full of potholes (especially in Yorkshire) I don't blame manufacturers for trying to disconnect us from the road.
I's prefer a mixture of high sidewall tyres, pliant long-travel suspension and plenty of control feedback. Perfect combination for British roads.
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