Audi's Stunning Focus In Cutting Weight to Improve Handling and Performance

This is great news for Audi. Audi has already proven that it can create interiors with unsurpassed ergonomic design, materials quality, and finish. For the exterior, the LED headlights are certainly distinctive and unique.

With reduced weight, Audi will blend top-notch interior quality/design, with striking exterior design, and excellent performance to create even better cars.

Who are you kidding? Audi interiors are boring and already littered with plastic bits, when they did try to jazz it up they ended up with a chrome micro keg shift knob. That being said, I will applaud Audi for focusing on lighter weight more fun to drive cars. Who knows, the next gen R8 might have a sub 8 minute ring time and be finally worthy of supercar status.

— GermanNut:

| Audi has already proven that it can create interiors
| with unsurpassed ergonomic design, materials quality,
| and finish.

New BMW interiors, as present in the all new 7-series and the new Z4 are just as good, if not better. Excellent quality, premium feel and ergonomics. Audi offers nothing more here.


inspirion7:

| Audi's Stunning Focus In Cutting Weight to Improve Handling
| and Performance

Audi has no choice and there is nothing remotely "stunning" in it. They need to cut down weight cause now their cars are simply obese.

Audi A4 3.2 quattro:...... 3827 lbs
BMW 328i xDrive:.......... 3582 lbs

Audi A6 3.0T quattro:..... 4123 lbs
BMW 535i xDrive:...........3950 lbs

BTW, Inspirion, your title looks like written by an Audi salesperson. Come on, don't do it.

MrBratwurst,

Look closely at the new BMW interiors and you'll see that they are taking more than a few cues from Audi interiors. Even the new and improved iDrive mimics the control layout of Audi's MMI. Give credit where credit is due.

As for the weight differences you cite, how were the subject cars equipped? What about crash test performance? You can certainly make one car lighter than another but what are you giving up in the process? How about comparing the A8 and 7 series?

A8 4.2 Quattro; 4409 lbs
750i (without all wheel drive) : 4564 lbs

MrBratwurst, you sound like a BMW salesperson.

While you are entirely correct in pointing out MrBratwurst's biased selective choice of cars. Do realize that the goal of A8 and 750i is more luxury then sport oriented, and I think we can all agree that in the luxury game, the A8 is no 750i. I would care to argue for MrBratwurst and that he is indeed correct in his selection of cars and specs.

Audi doesn't carry anyone's water. They are in the drivers seat. Do I like Audi, of course, more than any luxury brand sans Aston Martin. The interior of Audi or "atmospheres" began in the early 90's and most every manufacture seeks out what Audi is doing. As long as their sales increase consistently, they will be all right. Now, the only quibbles I have with Audi it the weight. Fix that, and the numb steering, they will be the perfect manufacture bar none.

Joe, you just proved my point. We can all come up with selective information to prove most any argument we want. Why is it that the weight argument does not apply to luxury oriented cars? And no "we" do not all agree that in the luxury game the A8 is no 750i. Let's compare the same generation A8 and 7 series and I can dig up several articles that concluded the A8 a better car. And please don't tell me the 750 is better because it sells more. That argument is getting a little old.

— JustaCar:

| Look closely at the new BMW interiors and you'll
| see that they are taking more than a few cues from
| Audi interiors.

This is genuine nonsense. Audi salesman wishful thinking.

BMW Z4:
http://www.carsandreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/2009-bmw-za-roadster-exterior-interior-1.jpg

Audi S5:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v671/brcewane/carputer/002__scaled_600_075.jpg

Probably everything is different: location of HVAC controls, the navi screen, climat controls, armrests, the overall shape, dials.

Z4 designs cues come from the CS concept.


| Even the new and improved iDrive mimics the control
| layout of Audi's MMI. Give credit where credit is due.

Exactly. The BMW was first to create the iDrive and the Audi implemented the same idea with minor improvements.


| As for the weight differences you cite, how were the
| subject cars equipped?

Both bare naked.


| What about crash test performance?

Both A4 and the much lighter 3er got Top Safety Pick which proves it is not the lower weight that could make BMW less safe. Audi A6 proved better than 5er in the side crash only.


| A8 4.2 Quattro; 4409 lbs
| 750i (without all wheel drive) : 4564 lbs

How were the subject cars equipped? What about crash test performance?

How about engine performance? The twin turbocharged V8 7er will burn the naturally aspirated A8 4.2 to a crisp.

JustaCar, you sound like an Audi salesperson.

Remember MrBratwurst, it's "justacar".

I should however address your misconception about MMI copying iDrive. Audi's MMI was introduced at the 2001 Frankfurt auto show in a concept called the Audi Avantissimo. BMW's iDrive was introduced on the 2002 7 series. It's just a case of two excellent car companies coming up with the same concept simultaneously. One of them just happened to have a better implementation.

"Audi's MMI was introduced at the 2001 Frankfurt auto show in a concept called the Audi Avantissimo. BMW's iDrive was introduced on the 2002 7 series"

1999 BMW Z9

http://www.carbodydesign.com/archive/2007/07/02-bmw-z9-concept/BMW-Z9-Concept-interior-2-lg.jpg

Audi is going to be the lightweigt of German auto manufacturers?

I still don't know why people care about performance and top speed.
Who cares how heavy their cars are. They make nice rides, BMWs are overrated and driven by c*cks or brainless fools.

Audi is clearly know to offer the best interiors in the industry. If you don't agree it's only a clear statement of the facts you do not know .. reasearch and find the awards the have been given year after year..
Search first ...

everyone's arguing about which brand is better, what a joke. you may like bmw, i may like audi and vice versa but the bottom line is they both build great cars or this wouldn't be an argument.

What metrics are those. Your fat on opinions herrokitty, but a lightweight on actual facts. Read a car magazine once in awhile and not BMW propaganda brochures.

Audi has beet talking about "light" for some time, and so for, they have not delivered. And I actually *like* Audis. I just don't pay attention to the hyperbole any more.