CaseHogue

Hey Audi Fans,

My name is Casey Hogue and I am a student at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA. I am working on a sponsored project for Audi (specifically, the design of the B-Class [A4 Sedan]) and would love it if I could get some input from some devoted Audi enthusiasts. I have a few questions that if answered would be put directly to use in my work. Answer one question, answer them all-- anything you have to say would be great.

1) Why Audi? Why have you purchased cars from Audi in the past, and what about them will sway your decisions in the future?

2) Why not BMW/Mercedes Benz?

3) Could you elaborate on your buying experience? Where you convinced at a dealership, or did you decided before you bought? Was it the advertising, the Image, or maybe the history of Audi that influenced your choices?

4) What would you like to see in the future of the B-Class (Interior/exterior design)?


Thanks, I truly appreciate it.
Casey Hogue
hogue@artcenter.edu

Imolavirus@BuehnEngineering

1. second audi owned because they are of a higher standard without the stuck-up stereo types of BMW/MB. and audi interiors are teh ****.

2. see #1

3. I went to the dealer knowing what i wanted, it was the overall image of audi that first attracted me

4. i like the B5, escpecially the turbos

ATH

I knew before I bought - the dealer knew less about the car than I did when I went to look at them. In the future I'm hesitant to buy an Audi however, as all the dealers are idiots. The general tend seems to be that they screw everything up.

2) Everyone and their brother owns a BMW, and I think they are poorly designed (except maybe the M3 exterior, but the interior sucks). Benz is more of an old-guy styling.

3) I've always liked the B5 chassis Audi's, and when I heard the S4 had a bi-turbo engine, I knew that's what I wanted .

4) Basically an exact duplicate of the euro models (Nav+, Euro housings, more HP, etc.). Memory seats would be nice, as well as less rattles. More supportive seats. RS6-type solar sunroofs that air-condition/heat the car when its parked. Bi-xenon headlights. That's all I can think of for now .

JoeyJoJoeJrShabadoo

The looks of an Audi belie its capabilities.

es4uerzo

don't know much about cars, other than that Benz's are nice
For example,,,and i know this from experience,,,9 out of 10 MB owners,,if you were to strike up a converstion about cars in general you would find that the conversation is short lived and is ended by them bringing up their mercedes.

bioman

1. The S4 combined everything I was looking for in one package - a powerful 4dr 6-spd that I could drive year around in the winter and that projected an image that I am comfortable with.

2. to me, a BMW says "I'm concerned about what you think of me", a Mercedes says "I'm concerned about what you think of me, plus I'm old and I can't drive stick", while and Audi is just a nice car.

3. The buying experience was unremarkable - I knew what I wanted before I started talking to the dealer.

4. I'd like to see less weight - car is too heavy. Otherwise, more of the same, please.

R1ce

Also I like that the S4 is one of the few cars with AWD, lot's of HP potential, tons of practicality on the street (4 doors, large trunk, etc.), and still has lots of class.

2) see number 1

3) I avoided the dealership because I was able to buy locally for a MUCH better price and I wasn't all that impressed by most of the Audi salespeople. I knew a lot more about the S4 than one of them and had to correct him on many points of the car.

4) I with the B5 S4 had that smooth shifting feel like the B6 S4 or even the B5 A4, looks like Audi already did their homework on that. Definitely put the Audi on a diet and lose a lot of weight, less rattles. Can't think of much else.

mpwolf

1) My dad owns an A4 and it's a nice car, I was coming from a $8000 Nissan, so pretty much every car was nice. Nonetheless, his ownership definitely influenced my decision. The S4 had what I was looking for at the time, speed, and a recognized brand name. If I had the money at the time, I probably would have purchased a BMW M3, but the S4 was what I could reasonably afford. Also, I was planning on moving back to New England, and I thought the AWD would be an asset.

I also looked at the 330Ci and knew that if I purchased that car (it was the same price as the S4) that I would always be wishing I had gotten the M3, with the S4, I could have the top model of the B5 cars. That was important to me personally for whatever dumb reason, this wasn't some lame attempt to show off what I could buy.

2) Money. The S4 was faster in a straight line than the BMWs/MBs I could afford, I thought the AWD would be important where I was planning on moving to, and my dad's aforementioned A4.

3) I called the salesman my dad bought his A4 from, said I wanted an S4 for $1500 over invoice with the exact color and options. He said no problem. They found the car outside of Boston (I bought the car in Albany, NY) and I offered to go pick it up. I already knew that the S4 was somewhat fragile and I didn't want some guy beating on it with 0 miles. Because they didn't need to send someone after the car, they took $300 off the price of the car, and I ended up paying $1200 over invoice. This was for a 2002 MY car in October, 2001. I pretty much had my mind made up that the S4 was the car I wanted before I called the dealer.

4) I'd like to see the following:

- Coupe
- Lighter weight, especially in the front of the car.
- A more driver centered interior. The S4, while well put together, feels generic to me. I still miss how my old Nissan 240SX wrapped around the driver.
- More aggressive styling on the S models, they look way too much like the A models.


Mechanically, I'd like to see:

- An AWD system without all the electric doo-dads. Just a nice high-bias center diff, with a rear LSD (not that I know what all that does, but from what I've seen, it should work well.) ;-)
- Electronic aids that you can actually turn off.
- Porsche caliber stock brakes.
- A sport suspension option that is acutally sporty.
- In short, a car that I wouldn't want to upgrade three months into owning it.

DYOS4

1) Why Audi? My father has a S8 there was definately influence there. AWD, 4 doors good looks inside and out.

2)AWD, 4 doors.

3)My dealership rocks and again the best car with AWD and 4 doors.

4)Exterior styling to bring back the rounded headlights by the turn signals like the B5 platform, dont like the new headlights. Also to round out the front grille, basically bring back B5 IMO.

DYOS4

I think its just styling not performance, agree with ya though, esp weight in the front.