New Car and Driver Magazine
03-03-2003, 07:40 AM
#1
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New Car and Driver Magazine
The April 2003 C/D, page 40 describes Mercedes-Benz move to make virtually all of its cars with all-wheel-drive in the '03 and '04 model year.
The article opens that MB reckons awd is now part of the admission price into the luxury - car market.
"Year round performance and peace of mind" are what buyers want. . .
Years ago (staring in 1984) I read article after article about Audi's -- the exact same thing was said by Audi then. Indeed it was also said by Dr. Piech that "in the future all cars will be all wheel drive" because of safety, performance, fun and "economy" (less rolling resistance above 40mph).
Audi now needs to look over its shoulder, because the competition is -- this time for sure -- gaining.
First words out of my wife's mouth (and she is a very loyal Audi driver): "I wonder if MB has some cars that we might consider?" This, in point of full disclosure, from a person who may buy Audi's predominantly because they do (and have for a long time) offer awd.
I would think this will really heat up competition.
=====
In the same issue there was an article The Battle of the Neither-Nors -- crossover vehicles. I consider, and I assume some on this forum do too, my allroad a crossover vehicle. It is part avant (aka station wagon) and part suv (I recon about 5/8ths 3/8ths respectively). Now we are seeing crosses between cars and suvs and suvs and mini vans start to come on line -- and the allroad which had to be among the first to produce such a vehicle isn't even on ANYONE's radar.
What am I missing? The Murano, IMHO, is Nissan's allroad -- yet no homage is paid, for example.
Perhaps the allroad was a concept ahead of its time and now, as it appears that it will be withdrawn, the rest of the car/mini-van/station wagon/suv crossovers are coming on stream.
Oh what the heck, I'm just ranting, now. . . .
The article opens that MB reckons awd is now part of the admission price into the luxury - car market.
"Year round performance and peace of mind" are what buyers want. . .
Years ago (staring in 1984) I read article after article about Audi's -- the exact same thing was said by Audi then. Indeed it was also said by Dr. Piech that "in the future all cars will be all wheel drive" because of safety, performance, fun and "economy" (less rolling resistance above 40mph).
Audi now needs to look over its shoulder, because the competition is -- this time for sure -- gaining.
First words out of my wife's mouth (and she is a very loyal Audi driver): "I wonder if MB has some cars that we might consider?" This, in point of full disclosure, from a person who may buy Audi's predominantly because they do (and have for a long time) offer awd.
I would think this will really heat up competition.
=====
In the same issue there was an article The Battle of the Neither-Nors -- crossover vehicles. I consider, and I assume some on this forum do too, my allroad a crossover vehicle. It is part avant (aka station wagon) and part suv (I recon about 5/8ths 3/8ths respectively). Now we are seeing crosses between cars and suvs and suvs and mini vans start to come on line -- and the allroad which had to be among the first to produce such a vehicle isn't even on ANYONE's radar.
What am I missing? The Murano, IMHO, is Nissan's allroad -- yet no homage is paid, for example.
Perhaps the allroad was a concept ahead of its time and now, as it appears that it will be withdrawn, the rest of the car/mini-van/station wagon/suv crossovers are coming on stream.
Oh what the heck, I'm just ranting, now. . . .
03-03-2003, 07:51 AM
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The MB challenge is already being responded to by BMW, so Audi will have even more competition..
BMW is planning "X" versions of all it's series, with pics already revealed of the concept X3. Things will definately heat up for Audi. Too bad... they could really use the distinction from BMW/Merc.
Regarding Audi's pioneering "crossovers"... I've said it before, and I'll say it again. No way!
Others did it first, and others will do it afterwords... It's not opinion, just fact. The allroad was released in 2001. In no way, shape, or form did 2001 see the introduction of crossovers to the world. I've had friends driving RX300s for years. Mazda 4WD MPVs have been around for years. Subaru's all-terrain wagons (sound familiar?) have been around for years. The AMC eagle... decades. I'm sure there are many others I can't think of immediatly. How people continue to think crossovers were invented by Audi in 2001 really puzzles me. There is life outside of Bavaria! ;-)
Regarding Audi's pioneering "crossovers"... I've said it before, and I'll say it again. No way!
Others did it first, and others will do it afterwords... It's not opinion, just fact. The allroad was released in 2001. In no way, shape, or form did 2001 see the introduction of crossovers to the world. I've had friends driving RX300s for years. Mazda 4WD MPVs have been around for years. Subaru's all-terrain wagons (sound familiar?) have been around for years. The AMC eagle... decades. I'm sure there are many others I can't think of immediatly. How people continue to think crossovers were invented by Audi in 2001 really puzzles me. There is life outside of Bavaria! ;-)
03-03-2003, 08:02 AM
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Which Lexus? The RX300 has a viscous coupling center diff and limited slip rear, like the 97 JGC...
I'm not comparing the RX300's AWD abilities to the Jeep Grand Cherokee's... but it's fair to say that it's a "real" AWD system. =)
03-03-2003, 08:17 AM
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Agreed...but I don't even give the allroad the "cross-over" label...
SUW: that's what it is and it is the fourth SUW out there following the defunct Eagle, the segment resurrector the Outback, and the Volvo Cross-Country.
True "Crossovers", IMO are exemplified by the Lexus RX300 (the first of it's kind, IMO), the Toyota Highlander, Nissan Murano, Infiniti FX, BMW X5, and possibly the Porsche Cayenne and VW Touareg (haven't decided on those last two yet)...
but...we've had this conversation before...I'll stop now...
True "Crossovers", IMO are exemplified by the Lexus RX300 (the first of it's kind, IMO), the Toyota Highlander, Nissan Murano, Infiniti FX, BMW X5, and possibly the Porsche Cayenne and VW Touareg (haven't decided on those last two yet)...
but...we've had this conversation before...I'll stop now...
