Spy pics: Next Audi A4

Dear 001,

Here are the shots I took of the next Audi A4 (albeit hard to see)

Here's why I couldn't get a clear shot...

There were two of them. My girlfriend was driving and we came up on the first one in the right lane. I thought it was a Chevy Malibu at first and my girlfriend said, "isn't that an Audi?" I realized what it was, whipped out the camera phone and the driver slammed on the brakes almost causing an accident. We tried to slow down but he slowed down even more. Then we kept going to came up on another one.
This time I had the camera ready. I started shooting, and by the time we got right next to it, the driver realized what was going on and slammed on the brakes. There was a lot of traffic, so by slowing down that fast they were able to duck in behind other cars. Talk about disappointment, I wanted to check out the inside.

What you can see is that audi is adopting the chrome strip across the back like on the new A6.

Jason Hass

rack - 8/29/2004 6:01:38 PM

+1 Boost

If sales figures make the car, why aren't you touting Lexus.

Threepoint1415926 - 8/30/2004 7:28:13 PM

+1 Boost

That's a great picture Carson... Thank god they got rid of those pink tail lights!!! I always hated those.

Jon

Anim8or - 9/1/2004 7:10:52 PM

+1 Boost

Hey all,

I'm new to this forum. Here are my thoughts/reactions to this emotional thread:

BMW, which rose to dominance through the 80's as the top German brand, is starting to plateau slightly. They have enjoyed success due to their superb sport dynamics and good interiors. But lately have been surpassed by competitors in some key areas; namely interior quality, reliability, design choices (bangle), and of course the iDrive.

Then along comes Audi, perceived until recently as a tier two company along the likes of Saab and Volvo.

They now are in the middle of an extremely aggressive, 10 year, multi-billion dollar assault to unseat BMW as the top German lux brand.

Of course, Audi is currently selling a fraction of what BMW is raking in. But we are at the beginning of Audi's plan, which is only now starting to yield its first jump in sales.

Phase 1: The 2004 Audi A8. It rivals the BMW 7 series in virtually every department. The result: A stratospheric rise in A8 sales which will only continue to explode, plus almost homonymous praise in magazines as the best lux car in its class (this despite magazines unfairly comparing the long-wheel-base A8L to the standard-wheel-base 745i).

On the other hand BMW 7 series sales, while predictably good, have fallen short of manufacturer’s projections.

Phase 2: The new A6 and a bold new fleet design. Like the A8, the new A6 is the recipient of global acclaim; again rivaling it's BMW competitor: the 5 series. The new corporate 'shied' grill may be blasted in forums like this, but has in actuality enjoyed widespread acclaim. It's a hit, and soon to be a non-issue. Trust me on this one.

Phase 3: The completion of its product line with the aggressive new look, engine line-up, and cutting edge technologies such as the rear-wheel biased quattro. New models include the face-lifted A4, new A7 SUV, a new all-aluminum TT, and the 600+ HP RSR supercar.

Audi is not playing around. They mean business and are proving it with the astonishing rise to prominence starting only a couple of years ago. Remember, we're currently experiencing the beginning of Audi's relentless race to the top.

Within a decade, expect Audi to equal or even rival BMW and Mercedes as the top lux brand. There’re not messing around, especially with VW corporate muscle on their side.

BTW, I’ve driven both Audi and BMW’s and love them both. Up until recently BMW was easily my choice in terms of dynamics. But Audi won my heart as a car that looks better, feels better, and frankly is a more original choice than BMW. I now drive a 2003 Audi A4 Cabriolet 3.0.