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Audi Takes Top Spot On Forbes Hardest To Find List For 2009

Agent009 submitted on 9/8/2009 Official Bell & Ross Timestamp: 12:55:46 PM

23 user comments | Category: Misc News | Source: | SOURCE: www.forbes.com

Feel like driving Audi's posh new crossover, the $38,000 Q5? The signature Audi LED taillights and leather-cloaked interior, paired with a fast engine and car-like handling, do much to separate it from the pack of premium small SUVs.

But you'll have to be quick to get one. They've been selling just four days after they hit dealer lots, says Audi spokesman Christian Bokich--and that's not likely to change anytime soon.

Audi's other hot seller, the $52,400 S5 coupe, is also difficult to get, since it sells four times as fast as the average Audi vehicle. It sold 544 units in the U.S. last month, up 38% from July of last year. Overall year-to-date sales at Audi are slightly up over 2008 as well (down just 14.6% overall, versus negative 16% at this time last year), making it one of the strongest carmakers in the American market right now.

1. Audi Q5                        
2. Chevrolet Camaro (tie)  
2. Toyota Prius (tie)
4. Toyota Matrix
5. Nissan Murano
6. Lexus RX 350/RX Hybrid
7. Toyota FJ Cruiser (tie)
7. Infiniti QX56 (tie)
9. Toyota RAV4
10. Ford Escape/Escape Hybrid
12. Audi S5 (tie)
12. MINI Cooper (tie)

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Audi Takes Top Spot On Forbes Hardest To Find List For 2009

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Agent009

"If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough."

— Agent009 (View Profile)


User Comments

GermanNut

I wonder why no BMW is on the list?? Oh yeah, I forgot, when you get a company that offers cheap lease deals simply to move volume, its cars will never be hard to find.

Look at Audi attacking the competition on two fronts: pricing strategies and product offerings.

You will see Audi dealers charging you more per month on an Audi S5 than a BMW M3 that costs $15K more. Why? The answer is simple: Audi DOES NOT use cheap leases to sell its cars. This is also the reason why Audi has seen a couple hundred-million dollar profit through Q2 2009 whereas BMW has seen a loss.

Audi has also been offering compelling cars such as the Q5. Every single review states the Q5 combines Audi's signature exterior design themes (LED tailights, LED daytime-running lights, huge front grille etc.) with best-in-class interior design/quality, excellent driving dynamics, and ample horsepower not to mention interior room.

No wonder the Audi Q5 is selling so well and is routinely defeating its main rivals including the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLK, Acura RDX, and Lexus RX in comparison tests.

— GermanNut (View Profile)

Posted on 9/8/2009 1:11:55 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

BMW4me4ever

German -
1. You will see Audi dealers charging you more per month on an Audi S5 than a BMW M3 that costs $15K more. Why? The answer is simple: Audi DOES NOT use cheap leases to sell its cars.

This is not true. Only for the Audi S5 or the Q5, but the A4 is less than the 3-series BMW, so is the A6 & the A8, Q7 to lease. Have you tried to lease a M3 recently? Look it up & you will see that BMW cut back production and the lease is very pricey.

2.No wonder the Audi Q5 is selling so well and is routinely defeating its main rivals including the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLK, Acura RDX, and Lexus RX in comparison tests.

BMW has all but stopped building the X3 for the US. They cut back production by about 80% as of the beginning of the 2009 model year back in September. They are gearing up for a switch to the US plant & a new styling direction. The X3 is only about 7 years old vs a brand new shot by Audi. I would expect the Audi to better the X3, RDX, & Lexus. Neither of the last 2 are drivers cars. The Lexus RX in this segment is still king or queen ( mostly queen due to the number of women drivers it appeals to ) in this segment. The Rx outsells AUDI, BMW & ACURA combined in the US

— BMW4me4ever (View Profile)

Posted on 9/8/2009 1:33:58 PM | | Votes: 4   

Willis

Comparison tests are nothing more than the opinion of editors. In no way do they even hint which car is better than its rivals. The Q5 might handle well but the comfort is crap - and two different people with different needs will therefore rank it differently. Those looking for sport will love it, those who prefer a comfortable ride quality won't. It's that simple. I stopped listening to reviews a long time ago.

— Willis (View Profile)

Posted on 9/8/2009 1:35:39 PM | | Votes: 1   

downtoearth

— GermanNut:

> This is also the reason why Audi has seen
> a couple hundred-million dollar profit through
> Q2 2009 whereas BMW has seen a loss.

The reason why Audi has seen a profit is the fact that it has its engines developed by Volkswagen.

I'll try to list, out of memory, the engines that are THE SAME under Audi and VW bonnets:

1.6 FSI
1.4 TSI/TFSI
1.8 TSI/TFSI
2.0 TSI/TFSI
3.2 FSI
3.0 TFSI
4.2 FSI
6.0 W12

1.6 TDI
1.9 TDI
2.0 TDI
3.0 TDI
4.2 TDI

13 engines. The same.

BMW have to develop their engines on their own. If you buy a BMW, you know that what's under the bonnet is not recycled from a commodity vehicle.

So Audi profits are rather accountant maneuvers. Let's just shift the costs to Volkswagen and then pretend how smart and profitable we are.

— downtoearth (View Profile)

Posted on 9/8/2009 4:56:48 PM | | Votes: 4   

JustaCar

Volkswagen develops engines for Audi? And Audi develops engines for Volkswagen. Audi develops engines for Bentley. Lamborghini developing engines for Audi. Get the idea? This excuse of Audi sharing technology with Volkswagen is getting old. And the idea that "BMW is an independent company therefore they develop better cars" does not hold water. All these companies are in business to make money, and the ones that develop compelling products AND run a good business will be more profitable.

— JustaCar (View Profile)

Posted on 9/8/2009 5:08:05 PM | | Votes: 1   

GermanNut

Downtoearth, and BMW is sitting there thinking they are all great because they are independent while they lose money.

In this economy, whoever finds a way to make money will come out as the winner.

Audi has the upper-hand here and will use its significantly larger profit to develop its technologies and cars even further while BMW will not have such opportunity if they can't find a way to make more money.

— GermanNut (View Profile)

Posted on 9/8/2009 7:53:02 PM | | Votes: -1   

inspirion7

Uh, go Audi! Audi is a great company who's cars you don't see yourself going and coming. Very cool place to be right now.

— inspirion7 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/8/2009 1:13:43 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 6   

GermanNut

You don't find a single BMW on the list because BMW uses cheap lease deals on all their models.

— GermanNut (View Profile)

Posted on 9/8/2009 2:21:08 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

Hachee2001

Audi still subsidizes the A4, which is why the volume is still relatively high. But it stopped on the A6, which is why sales suck, but evidently Audi just won't cave and revert to cheap leases on this car. And the Q5 is an exellent alternative to the RX, which are just all over the place (which is why Audi's commercials for it are so spot-on). And they've just hit the bullseye, at least for now, with the A5/S5 - it's just so greate looking and very desirable. People who want one know that you can lease a similarly priced BMW for less, but they say fuck it and get it because they just WANT it. For the life of me I can't figure out why the A8 can't make inroads against the S-Class and 7-Series.

— Hachee2001 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/8/2009 2:33:05 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

StarSearch

But part of the problem is that Audi's offerings aren't THAT much superior to the point that someone would wait 3-6 mos. for a vehicle. Add in that they are the slowest selling lux company in the US, their dealer network is horrible along with resale and reliability still a thorn, and you have to wonder how long this plan will work.

My mother-in-law looked into a Q5 to replace her older RX300 back in Aug. and was told that the earliest she would see delivery was late Oct.

...she went over to Lexus that afternoon and chose from over 70 new RXs...and better customer service.

— StarSearch (View Profile)

Posted on 9/8/2009 2:48:05 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4   

JustaCar

What you might consider slow selling, others consider exclusive. Yes Audi has been increasing their market share in the US but I don't think the Q5 will ever be as common as the RX.

And where have you seen recent data that shows Audi's resale and reliability being bad?

— JustaCar (View Profile)

Posted on 9/8/2009 4:58:53 PM | | Votes: 2   

AlexTx

Sorry but resale on the Audi is pretty good accross the board and not better or worse than BMW or MB.
Slowest selling??
They are gaining more and more market share for the past year.
Reliability a problem??
Again, lastest customer survey shows that Audi is actually one of the most reliable brands and #1 Euro brand..

— AlexTx (View Profile)

Posted on 9/8/2009 5:00:45 PM | | Votes: 0   

GermanNut

Hachee2001, don't worry....the 2010 Audi A8, with its significantly more striking and imposing exterior design, combined with even more exceptional interior design quality will most certainly give the BMW 7-series and Mercedes-Benz S-class all they can handle and then some.

The 2010 A8 will likely come standard with Audi's Sport Differential and Drive Select Systems to make handling much sharper.

— GermanNut (View Profile)

Posted on 9/8/2009 2:50:53 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -3   

VISO

Actually, globally the A8 has been a tremendous success. So Audi looks at the overall picture. Audi hasn't done properly marketing for the A6 and A8.

— VISO (View Profile)

Posted on 9/8/2009 2:58:57 PM | | Votes: 1   

GermanNut

Despite poor marketing from Audi for the A6, it still outsells BMW's 5-series and Mercedes-Benz's E-class worldwide.

— GermanNut (View Profile)

Posted on 9/8/2009 3:30:58 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1   

inspirion7

true that.

— inspirion7 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/8/2009 3:52:07 PM | | Votes: 0   

Hachee2001

I'm well aware of Audi's success in the rest of the world - we're just talking about here in the US. For whatever reasons, Audi cannot really make much headway in the midsize and large classes here. BMW and Mercedes are simply still the default choices. I'm a big Audi fan, and I want them to be successful, but truth is, I don't want them to be a big volume player like the MB, BMW and Lexus. I love my 3 Series, but it's like a Camry where I live. The fact that it's an '04 actually makes it a lot rarer than new ones.

— Hachee2001 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/8/2009 4:51:07 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

rxh8me9000

That S5 man,its a beauty.

— rxh8me9000 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/8/2009 4:51:57 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

huu76

Audi will raise the Q5's price soon. Not being an Audi fanatic, even I could see the Q5 was a super bargain and underpriced for what it offered.

Anybody noticed that most of the cars on that list are probably purchased, not leased?

— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/8/2009 5:41:41 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

GermanNut

Look at the JD Power & Associates data which indicate that Audi is as dependable as BMW and more dependable than Mercedes-Benz:

http://www.jdpower.com/autos/ratings/dependability-ratings-by-brand

— GermanNut (View Profile)

Posted on 9/8/2009 7:57:42 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Janizary

FJ Cruiser? Hard to find? Really?

The two Toyota dealers I drive by on a regular basis have a boat load (anecdotal, I know). But why is this a hard-to-find popular thing?

— Janizary (View Profile)

Posted on 9/8/2009 8:13:13 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

Hachee2001

It's interesting that the QX56 is there. It's probably because there's about 3 in stock in the whole country. So if 5 people want one, it's a hot item.

— Hachee2001 (View Profile)

Posted on 9/9/2009 10:44:15 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

EIII

down2erth or is it face in dirt.. FYI that tough stand alone Propeller company subs out work to its competition. Did you know that Audi does 15 to 20 % of BMW's metal stamping????
BMW knows who does great work and is efficient enough to do it for less than they could themselves. They are losing $ and Audi is making $ off them. HA just good info

— EIII (View Profile)

Posted on 9/15/2009 12:46:55 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

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