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Sedans High End Luxury Cars
24700 messages, Last post on Dec 01, 2009 at 12:24 PM
You are in the Sedans Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens
Let's try to define this forum as being limited to luxury performance vehicles where the mainstream version in a typical configuration has an MSRP of at least $60k.
A luxury vehicle with a base price of $59k qualifies because it would typically be bought with some additional equipment, bringing the MSRP over $60k.
Vehicles like the E, 5, A6, M, or GS, even if available in certain versions over $60k, don't qualify because they are cars from companies that have higher end cars in their lineups.
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Well said! Audis are EXTREMELY interesting. I plan on driving the A8 sometime next year.
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I like the A8 more than the S-class and far more than the 7 series. I'm very interested to see what the next gen A8 is like, I'm sure Audi is going to build a VERY impressive car. The A6 has really grown on me, its my pick of the German trio, despite the fact that the 5 and E crush it in sales in the states. The TT has become a cool car. The last one was basically a Golf with an enormous price hike and was a total poser sports car, but the new one actually walks the walk. The TT-RS should give BMW some serious worry. The A5 and A7 should be interesting, and its worth noting that Lexus has no competitor for either. |
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"I like the A8 more than the S-Class and far more than the 7 Series." I agree! I sat in each one of these at the auto show and the one that impressed me most regarding style, seats and interior was the A8. |
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Replying to: tagman (Jan 24, 2007 9:33 am) http://www.aicautosite.com/editoria/asmr/svsedan.asp Lexus LS460/430 sold 3865 in December, 26k in 2005; MB S class 2987 in December, 16k in 2005, 31k in 2006; BMW 7 series over 2k in November, 18k in 2005; Audi A8? 323 in Dec, 557 in Nov, about 5k for both 05/06 Audi is is a minuscule player in HELC. Their "collosal sales in Europe" is built on very plebian cars like A3 and A4, which has nothing to do with HELC or even debatable luxury. Globally, A4 and A6 compete with cars like Toyota Crown, not Lexus. The majority of A8 sold in Europe have V6 engines, and have MSRP around $50k. That would disqualify A8 itself in HELC discussion. The REAL truth is that Audi is a global success and is just now in the early stages of what is a gigantic ascention in this U.S. market. That may have been the case back in 1994. Audi/VW has just finished another cycle here in the US. It will take a few years before another generation of suckers are born and unware of just how unreliable their cars are. If Audi were promising in the US, VW would not have been an acquisition target by a much smaller player like Porsche in a reverse take-over. |
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Replying to: hpowders (Jan 24, 2007 4:40 pm) Depending on what's being sold. In most parts of the world, Audi live by A4 and A6 sales. In these same markets, the direct competitor to A4 and A6 is Toyota Crown, not any Lexus. Sure, Toyota also sells some ultra luxury cars under its own brand, like Toyota Century, priced around $200k+. Of course, Toyota has huge sales volume worldwide. Shall we then talk about what a great HELC brand Toyota is?? Their Landcruiser is close to $60k for what it's worth. I sure don't hope so. Let's focus on US market, which we are all familiar with. In other markets, the same brands may well have very different market positions and identities. |
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Replying to: blkhemi (Jan 24, 2007 4:20 pm) Okay, let's put some numbers into perspective. How many A8's does that supposed #1 in China amount to? less than 2000 cars in a year. Lexus, MB and BMW each sell that many or more LS, S and 7 in the US in a month. When China market does become #1, they may well have different preferences. At present (and the recent past), many of these A8's are shipped to bureacrats there as bribes for running Audi factories. They just get parked there. I was on a business trip there back in 2005, and stayed in a hotel in Beijing for a couple weeks. One A8 (out of only 1800 or so imported to that whole country that year) literally sat in the same spot in the city council courtyard nearby that whole time without ever moving. It did not even have a license plate, so couldn't be driven even if someone tried.
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Replying to: drfill (Jan 24, 2007 3:17 pm) Oh....and now would be a good time to sell, since I have bashed the IS350 consistently for not offering a stick. Same goes for the IS-F. Not luvin' it, with the 10th-gradeer body kit. Not exactly tasteful. So let me get this straight now. Your favorite car company does not offer manual trannies while at the same time you love manual trannies so much that you cant live without one? Sounds like a contradiction, dont you think? I've come to the conclusion that you like Lexus as a business/marketing case study. You like their sales numbers, their margins, their customer services and last but not least their Red Bow Christmas Promotions. You like everything about Lexus except their cars. Am I correct? |
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Replying to: brightness04 (Jan 24, 2007 6:14 pm) Where on earth did you get Mainland China Audi A8 sales stats from? Or is this A8 figure of yours just a pie in the sky guess? A8s driven mainly by bureaucrats in China? Really? I myself was in China more then a few times these past few years (my wife is Chinese) and I can assure you Audis (including the A8) in China are driven by a diverse affluent group of drivers beyond just bureacrats. You claim that many A8s are given as bribes to conniving bureaucrats for running Audi factories? Interesting allegations indeed? Many executives here in North America do not view their company cars as bribes. Instead they view them as being earned.
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