Porsche to take the lead for VAG premium brands

paranoidgarliclover · #1 09-08-2018, 02:13 AM

A densely packed and not particularly easy to understand article about restructuring w/ the premium brands at VAG. I was surprised to learn the Bentley is apparently hemorrhaging $....

https://www.automobilemag.com/news/p...d-lamborghini/

swizzle · #2 09-08-2018, 03:47 AM

This was an odd line: "From Wolfsburg’s vantage point, Audi is a potential future casualty..."

Of course Bentley is a turd for profit. All of their cars are for people in their 90s.

Bentley should have an S Class competitor (size and price) that is RWD/AWD and they should kill the FWD/AWD Audi A8 in favor of this new Bentley.

The Super Beetle headlights need to go.

Bentley needs a large, gorgeous coupe like the Jensen Interceptor was in its day.

Lamborghini is fine as a two car brand. Kill the Uterus.

I'd replace the Arteon, A4, and A6 with an A6-sized sedan at an A4 price. I'd replace the A7 with an Audi Taycan.

I'd kill the A3

IcedG35 · #3 09-08-2018, 05:36 PM

considering Audi's record sales in 2017 after an 8th consecutive year of increases, I'd can't imagine in what world it's a future casualty. I'd also assume the Bentagya and new Continental GT, which finally looks the part, will help reverse Bentley's problems.

Naga Royal Guard · #4 09-10-2018, 01:46 AM

crowded house; parents dont know their own ugly ass kids

mick78 · #5 09-10-2018, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swizzle

This was an odd line: "From Wolfsburg’s vantage point, Audi is a potential future casualty..."

Of course Bentley is a turd for profit. All of their cars are for people in their 90s.

Bentley should have an S Class competitor (size and price) that is RWD/AWD and they should kill the FWD/AWD Audi A8 in favor of this new Bentley.

The Super Beetle headlights need to go.

Bentley needs a large, gorgeous coupe like the Jensen Interceptor was in its day.

Lamborghini is fine as a two car brand. Kill the Uterus.

I'd replace the Arteon, A4, and A6 with an A6-sized sedan at an A4 price. I'd replace the A7 with an Audi Taycan.

I'd kill the A3

Whilst I agree in some points, and I'm not a fan of a lot of the recent VAG clone models and their general styling direction, it#s still formidable to think why VAG should replace two strong selling Audi sedans (plus a VW) with a cheaper one and kill margins (people are stupid enough to pay high prices even for AUdis with Dacia levels of trim and kit, see base A1). Or kill the A3, a bestseller in Europe, again with a high premium that people are paying above engineering wise identical MQB brothers.

Or make Bentley cheaper, as long as people are buying them;

Generally, it makes sense to give Porsche the lead in the premium segment, their cars are more credible than top end Audis, and their sports heritage can only improve Bugattis (go beyond the pure spec sheet monster), Bentley (the new Continental GT is already a good sign, although I agree the Beetle face needs to go ASAP).

Teh only potential AUdi casuality I see could be the A8, which - apart from well sponsored reviewers - few people tend to love, and between a much more attractive A7, Panamera and luxury SUVs will be a tough choice, especially once the next S-Class will again have the segment licked (it's the one Benz that certainly is always king of it's class). Especially if AUdi insists to use a scaled up mid sized FWD platform.

swizzle · #6 09-10-2018, 01:05 PM

Audi's crossovers are what is their bread and butter not their feckless sedans.

mick78 · #7 09-10-2018, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swizzle

Audi's crossovers are what is their bread and butter not their feckless sedans.

Yet, on a global scale, the sedans sell by the boat load, with a nice margin, because there are a lot of badge snobs, even if they only get them as a company car, it is still a sedan sold (or an Avant, in Europe, more often); VAG would be stupid to cancel the A3, A4 or A6; It's only at the A8 end, where the Panamera or a smaller Bentley offer proper internal competition (and higher margins), and there isn't much fleet market that soaks up a boring luxury sedan....

swizzle · #8 09-10-2018, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mick78

Yet, on a global scale, the sedans sell by the boat load, with a nice margin, because there are a lot of badge snobs, even if they only get them as a company car, it is still a sedan sold (or an Avant, in Europe, more often); VAG would be stupid to cancel the A3, A4 or A6; It's only at the A8 end, where the Panamera or a smaller Bentley offer proper internal competition (and higher margins), and there isn't much fleet market that soaks up a boring luxury sedan....

The A3/4/6 simply are not setting the world on fire with sales. The A3 is a Jetta for badge snobs. The 4 and the 6 together are an OK-ish volume, so why not consolidate?

paranoidgarliclover · #9 09-10-2018, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swizzle

The A3 is a Jetta for badge snobs

Not until the GLI is introduced. The engine and suspension available in a Jetta right now is quite different from what you can get in an A3....

swizzle · #10 09-10-2018, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paranoidgarliclover

Not until the GLI is introduced. The engine and suspension available in a Jetta right now is quite different from what you can get in an A3....

Enough to justify the difference in pricing from the MQB Jetta at $25K on the lot and the MQB A3 on the lot for $40K? I think not. The A3s on the local lot are ridiculously priced. When the GLI comes with IRS, it will still underprice the comparably equipped Audi by a minimum of $5K