Is This Move By Audi The ULTIMATE Sign Of Desperation?

Is This Move By Audi The ULTIMATE Sign Of Desperation?
The Audi e-tron sport-utility vehicle has hit US-based dealers and has been on the market for some time now. But, I am not sure if you'd know it.

Simply put, I haven't seen one owned vehicle on the road. I have seen a press vehicle and one dealer demo, however. I checked in with Agent 001 who also has yet to see an owned vehicle on the road in SoCal. According to friends in the loop, July sales are expected to drop off from the previous two months.

So, what's up?

What's even more perplexing is a more grassroots and in-your-face marketing strategy that the four rings has taken on in Germany. A recently snapped image shows an all-new e-tron parked in close proximity to a Tesla store.

This comes days after reports surfaced about Audi strategically placing e-tron SUVs at Tesla supercharging stations.

All that said, we've got to ask a straightforward question: Is this marketing tactic the ULTIMATE sign of desperation? Or, is this just the way the game's played?

What say you, Spies?


...An image of Audi’s more assertive e-tron push was posted online by electric vehicle enthusiast Provotroll1, who shared a photo of the all-electric SUV being marketed in front of a Tesla store in Stuttgart, Germany. Based on the image, the e-tron appeared to be attracting some attention from passers-by, with several people checking out the vehicle.

Audi’s decision to place an e-tron booth in front of Tesla’s store in Stuttgart will likely prove to be a more effective strategy than
bringing the vehicle to Superchargers. The Supercharger Network, after all, is one of Tesla’s key advantages over the e-tron, as Audi’s all-electric SUV relies on third-party chargers for long-distance travel. Thus, bringing the e-tron to Superchargers actually highlights the vehicle’s inferiority to Tesla’s electric cars...


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Car4life1Car4life1 - 7/23/2019 11:48:17 PM
-6 Boost
Not sure which is more desperate, Audi stalking Tesla or BMW’s new pig snout grills, either way the Benz EQC EV is sold out through 2020


Agent001Agent001 - 7/24/2019 12:16:41 AM
+1 Boost
Benz EQC EV is sold out through 2020. As service loaners to the dealers? ;)

001


runninglogan1runninglogan1 - 7/24/2019 1:36:09 AM
-1 Boost
EQC isn't going to do well either. Just not a very compelling product.


Car4life1Car4life1 - 7/24/2019 9:42:37 AM
-5 Boost
Do your research, makes you less ignorant
https://www.globalfleet.com/en/new-energies/europe/features/eu60000-entry-level-mercedes-eqc-which-sold-out?a=DQU04&t%5B0%5D=Daimler&t%5B1%5D=Mercedes-Benz&t%5B2%5D=EQ&t%5B3%5D=Accumotive&t%5B4%5D=e-tron&t%5B5%5D=I-Pace&curl=1

Even with Mercedes unique ability to develop their own batteries as opposed to rivals to better help keep up with demand, they don’t see inventory being replenished until late 2020 mid 2021


PUGPROUDPUGPROUD - 7/24/2019 5:38:57 AM
+1 Boost
Big companies have so much intellectual, financial and emotional momentum engrained in their culture over decades that they cannot easily compete against themselves when their market and technology turns in a different direction. People find it hard to change and companies find it even harder to change the way their people think and act.


FoncoolFoncool - 7/24/2019 6:04:10 AM
+1 Boost
As i’ve Said before, if EVs become market based vs Government mandates there are number of auto manufacturers could go bust. Especially the Germans and in particular VW which is doing penance for dieselgate.


TomMTomM - 7/24/2019 6:05:15 AM
+6 Boost
THe overwhelming HYPE associated with the other brand through the Investment community over its stock and in other ways Advertised that Tesla had vehicles. Today - I will bet if you ask - most people will not be aware that Audi and Chevrolet have EVs available - especially the Audi. There has been little or no Advertising of the product. For Chevy - it is because they don't yet make money on them - but the Audi price Point is too high to be a competitor of the Model 3. However - the suvs above the Model 3 do not sell in great numbers for anyone - maybe the market for EVs is CAR based - we do not know.

THe question is price point - even if the Model 3 never delivered its base price - it was less expensive than other models in the lineup. Green people tend to be professionals - but the question is - as the Person gets richer - do they care as much. It is the Higher priced EVs that are not selling well.

THe market for EVs still needs to be defined - and at this point we do not know what it is. Now that a recessions is starting to take hold in China and Europe, are economic worries part of the equation as well.


TruthyTruthy - 7/24/2019 11:18:13 AM
+6 Boost
The Audi is not aimed at the model 3, which is a small sedan (think Corolla) while the Audi is an SUV, like the model X or Why.


carloslassitercarloslassiter - 7/24/2019 7:19:20 AM
0 Boost
I saw one on the road a couple days ago, though I did not notice if it had dealer plates.


vdivvdiv - 7/24/2019 8:11:58 AM
0 Boost
I've seen a few already, they are hard to tell apart from afar.


mre30mre30 - 7/24/2019 9:00:01 AM
+2 Boost
The E-Tron looks just like a Q8 (except for the grill).

I've seen about 5 E-Trons in the Hamptons this summer (all driven by the NY subspecies of 'soccer-moms', known as 'Soul-Cycle' moms).

I'll postulate that all the Soul-Cycle moms who grew sick of their Model X's, traded them in for E-Trons. I even saw two of them with "No-Gas" type vanity plates (which I guess plays into the stereotype).

Not signs of runaway success but customer cars are out there - like any premium EV I imagine they only sell to rich people who have several cars.


mre30mre30 - 7/24/2019 9:01:01 AM
+1 Boost
The E-Tron looks so much like a Q8 I suspect that is causing an undercount.


malba2367malba2367 - 7/24/2019 11:17:29 AM
-2 Boost
I have seen a few around. A lot of people in the EV SUV market are waiting for the Model Y. Model X sales have fallen of a cliff as well, the EQC will also be a tough sell because range will be worse than model Y and price higher.


bw5011bw5011 - 7/24/2019 11:22:01 AM
+1 Boost
The E-Tron looks nothing like the Q8. Have you all actually seen the two in person. It is not even close. The Q8 is beautiful and commands attention unlike the e-tron which is nice in certain colors but not the best looking vehicle in the world for sure.


mre30mre30 - 7/24/2019 11:36:16 AM
+1 Boost
Look at the Audi website - side by side they are identical. https://www.audiusa.com/models?filter=suv

Yes, E-Tron grill is hideous, tailights are slightly different, and rims are different but to 99.9999% of people out there, they look identical.


Agent001Agent001 - 7/24/2019 1:15:31 PM
-1 Boost
Looks more like a 15 year All-Road than the Q8 to me.

What a MISS.

001


cidflekkencidflekken - 7/24/2019 11:38:12 AM
+1 Boost
Not sure if this is bold or desperate by Audi.


GermanNutGermanNut - 7/24/2019 6:53:32 PM
+1 Boost
Audi's eTron needed to be differentiated more from the Audi Q8 and even the previous all-roads. From the side, an eTron and Q8 are very hard to tell apart.


snowboard7snowboard7 - 7/24/2019 10:19:15 PM
+1 Boost
Audi Q8 and Etron look nothing alike lol. The Etron is lower and looks softer and has a different chassis whereas the Q8 is taller and more narrower and has different look outside. You just have to see both of them side by side and even still they are so different. Nothing alike. The Etron is a Q6 practically. Regardless the sales of both are doing very well.


MDarringerMDarringer - 7/24/2019 10:49:52 PM
-5 Boost
Same ugly face, same generic bodies, same lack of effort


TruthyTruthy - 7/25/2019 9:34:37 AM
+7 Boost
Despite how you feel about the look of the e-tron, it is georgeous compared to the fastback minivan Model-X that cost twice as much.


GermanNutGermanNut - 7/25/2019 9:59:16 AM
+2 Boost
Audi's lack of new Q3 models has hurt sales big time. Also, the eTron has been a big failure thus far. The staid looks, limited range and slow acceleration aren't doing it any favors. Audi really needed an out of the box design with much better range and performance but it didn't deliver. It should come as no surprise then that eTron sales are not off to a great start.


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