Will Audi A3 Sales Be HURT Because It's A CONSERVATIVE Design? Should Audi Have Taken A Risk, Like The CLA?

Audi is LAUGHING. The CLA will take sales from the the C rather than expand sales. The A3 will radically expand sales. Mercedes = numb nuts

Benz will continue to dominate. The A3 offers you practicality but I can get that with the jetta, maxima, Accord, ILX and Camry. The A3 will only eat A4 sales.

The CLA offers you style, passion, & emotion at the expense of practicality which is where it's big sister, the c class, steps in. Therefore the C class retains it's market while the CLA attracts the young dreamers, aspirational professionals, and ppl who want a piece of the 3 pointed star.

There is no doubt that the build quality of the CLA and the A Class is not up to scratch which has been noted by many. So long as Audi did not sacrifice build quality to entry a new market Audi will do well.

I think the A3's lack of hatch and mandatory automatic will turn more youngsters away than anything. Wait, the same is true with the CLA. I'd say neither will] hit the youth mark like they planned.

Huh? The CLA is available in many parts of the world with a manual as well as a hatch (A Class)

Yeah, that is very nice, but its not true in the US.

LOL @ the Benz haters. BMW used to be the target on here, now it's Mercedes because they are on a roll. Who's going to be next?

The reality is the CLA is proving to be a success: not taking sales away from the C-Class, helping MB extend its lead in the US, and helped it beat Audi globally last month.

Will the A3 be a success? Yes, I think it will be. However, I think it will find more success in Europe and China than in the US. And their new US ad campaign isn't going to help matters.

Base prices starting at $29900...great marketing campaign. will you ever find one on the lot for this price? No...Looking at the CLA in my area of the country, we find that 75% of the CLAs are priced at $35-$37k. The remaining 25% are over $40k. So much for the advertising 'hook'.

So the next 'hook' is styling, and the CLA has certainly taken more risks there, evoking more of an emotional response. The Audi is bland by comparison. Only 'new' shoppers in this segment of German cars will cross-shop...and they will also be looking at the BMW 2 or 3 series.

As for shelf life, well, that is in the eye of the beholder. Some people are turned off by the glacial pace of BMW design evolution...yet, others view it as 'timeless'.

Time will tell. We are the lucky ones though who get to take advantage of this new competition in the automotive world. Sit back and enjoy the ride!

Yes, I noticed the price run-up on the CLA as well. When you go to the MB Website and build your own, what you quickly find is that Leather seats cost $3800.

Yes, $3800 because in order to be _allowed_ to then spend the $1500 for the "Interior Package", you must also accept the $2300 "Premium Package".

Considering that the $2300 for the PPkg includes stuff that's often standard on other makes (including how Dual Climate, Auto-Dim Mirrors & Homelink all *were* Standard on my 2002 C-Class), the package simply doesn't come anywhere close to being a good value for the customer.

This is shades of the 1970s GM, where if you wanted air conditioning, you had to pay for a vinyl roof.

-hh

I agree that the CLA and some other MD designs smack of Hyundai. The classic MB designs that remain elegant after many years will not translate to the swoopy but generic CLA. The A3/S3 will do well in this regard. Both the CLA and A3 will sell well. I priced out a loaded CLA AMG and it came to $55k - yikes; that's as much as a loaded 335

The A3 sedan will sell extremely well. Remember the CLA has only been out for two to three months and does not gave a direct competitor on the market. Buyers currently have no choice but to get the CLA if they want an affordable entry-level sedan from the German 3 that is usually cheaper than a comparable A4, 3-Series and C-class.

What Audi's A3 sedan lacks in terms of loud, swooping design it makes up for in terms of quality of interior, standard equipment, technology and typical understated Audi design (although as we all know Audi will be moving to an edgier and more aggressive exterior design with the 2015 Audi Q7 and A4 models) along with better driving dynamics.

Every single review has concluded the A3 sedan's interior is of much higher quality than the CLA's. To get the CLA with the same options the A3 sedan comes standard with, buyers will need to spend an additional $5-7K, which is a lot of money for the buyers in this segment. The CLA is also bold and loud, which not everyone wants. Lastly, the A3 sedan offers a more engaged driving experience.

Young Buyers want quality, value, sharp design and an engaging driving experience, which the A3 delivers plenty of,

The A3 sedan sales will be above all expectations instead of being hurt due to its exterior design, just watch the sales charts in June of 2014.

Oh, dear Nuttie, let's have a dose of reality here. Do you really believe in your heart that "buyers have no other choice", so they go with the CLA? Do you really believe that this segment of buyer so desperately needs a new luxury car that they'd just buy the CLA because they can't wait a few months for Audi's A3? Are you truly that naive to believe your own, convoluted rationale?
Here's a newsflash. the majority of car buyers aren't spontaneous consumers. They research. They test drive. They rationalize decisions. They read car magazines. They go to automotive blogs. They ask family and friends. They test drive more. They research more.

Now, let's look at the CLS. Came out with no direct competitors. Sales were great for the first 3 years, then dwindled for the next 3 years, still with no direct competitors. Redesigned for MY 2011. Along comes the A7 for MY 2011. Now the CLS has a direct competitor which many noted was better-designed, albeit conservative, had a nicer interior, and was less expensive. What happened? The CLS sales numbers INCREASED. Then increased the next year, and will likely finished flat for 2013. Did it match its initial sales numbers? No. But its sales numbers are now normalized now that it's not necessarily seen as a "niche" product any longer. Draw your own conclusions from that, but there are clear parallels here. However, in the case of the CLA, its price point is identical to the incoming A3, unlike the CLS/A7 price differences. No, you probably won't find one for $30k, but the same will likely be said for the A3.

After looking over the A3/S3 site, I cannot say that I am impressed...at least, visually. And that interior looks rather Spartan, and I believe that Audi interiors have been historically beautiful. I

I also meant to add that everyone is allowed to have a favorite amongst auto makers. Personally, while I appreciate German cars, I haven't owned one since my Opel Manta and VW Beetle back in the 1970s, and I have no plans on owning one in the near future. It is just fun to watch the new models come to light in all brands as the former lower-end models move more upscale.

*Will the Audi A3 sales be hurt because of the conservative design*; Did Brittany Spears paint her six pack abs on & lip sync her last concert? ;-))*.

Is this the best dang story you can come up to start the new year off with AutoSpies. What a stupid story. Maybe some Audi owners (like myself) don't always want some crazy over the top design. Should BMW focus on what they do best - build great performance engines (and at one time driving dynamics); Should Audi keep building those high quality interiors, wonderful Quattro system and nice looking exterior designs like the A7, S6 and S4 etc. Should MB quit trying to pander to the kids' generation who according to statistics, don't drive as much or trying to market a stripped down leatherette car for $29,990 that nobody would option out that way. Come On!! Move on to the Detroit Auto Show please.

I agree with several of the posts mentioned here. The CLA has no direct competitor on the market yet. Once the A3 hits the market you are gonna see a lot of CLA's in the resale lot at your Audi dealer. Younger buyers are also more foolish buyers and will run out and spend money on a CLA just because it's a Mercedes. The CLA is a hideous looking car. I've seen a couple of them on the rode and I have to drive past my town's MB dealer everyday on my way to work. And everyday I'm reminded of how ugly this car is. The Audi A3 resembles a small A4. This is good marketing. This is how you get entry level luxury car buyers to your dealership. MB's styling as a whole is in decline with this new saggy ass appreance of it's new models. Audi 3 all the way for me.

LOL " good marketing " or lack of creativity? "Good marketing" is making a car look like lower-priced Passats and Jettas? "Good marketing" is making a car look like the A4 that sells 1/2 of C-Class volumem and 1/3 of 3 Series volume? Really?

Let's be real here. I love all the "CLA is crap" posts here. It's all wishful thinking. Been hearing the same "death bell" for Mercedes and BMW for quite a few years now here. Guess what? MB and BMW continue to trounce Audi in the US, by a comfortable margin. Audi's best-selling car is the Q5, and it's not running away with it, and its bested by the RDX. For all the comparison victories and 10-Bests for the A6/S6, it still sells 1/3 of the E Class and 5 Series volume. Let's face it, fancy LED lighting does not sell a car.

So, back to the point here about styling. The general responses to the A3 styling (on various blogs) seems to be good, but rather unenthusiastic overall. The responses to the CLA styling range from "gorgeous" to "ugly". Fine. At least the CLA is eliciting an emotional response. The same happened with the new CLS, and guess what? Its sales are doing just fine considering it's at a higher price point than the A7. Then again, the A7 has generated similar, polarizing, yet emotional, responses to its styling and it is much more competitive in its segment. Hmmm, maybe that's saying something.

I am not sure I do not understand why some Audi owners are so incensed over the CLA. If you love your Audi, be happy and enjoy it. Let those who love the CLA enjoy the same. If anything, the Mercedes design elicits a wide range of emotional responses...just look at the posts...Audi, not so much.

@leej - Couldn't agree with you more!! This stupid "pissing" contest of some bloggers who constantly trash MB, BMW or Audi is dum@@ like. I've owned a couple BMW 3 series and one 5 Series; wife has MB now. They are all great cars. BMW has changed some driving dynamics that I really enjoyed and expanded their model lineup to attract a wider audience with their X1, X2, X3, X4, X5 and X6. I wanted them to trim a little fat off the 5 series. But if you don't like one of those model cars now (as I didn't), MOVE ONWARD and quite whining like some 3 year old. That doesn't make BMW/MB an awful car. They'll sell a bunch of them!! I don't prefer the new Benz S-Class because the steering wheel looks like my dad's old BUICK he once had, along with that JUMBOTRON two level dash. However, they WILL SELL quite a few of those and that doesn't make them a bad car. I love cookies-n-cream ice cream; you love praline crunch. Come On!!

I moved to Audi because I love the new A6 dash layout and how it surrounds you; really reminds me of the older BMW 5 series I once had several years ago when you were surrounded by that gorgeous cockpit. Everyone has their reasons why they buy that particular car. I didn't like those crappy-a@@ run-flats tires they now put on BMW. They ride rough, cost MORE and last 1/3 LESS. That's a winning formula especially since ALL of the premium cars have road side service in a touch of a button.

I have been driving for nearly 43 years now, a true auto enthusiast comes to appreciate the competition, what they bring engineering wise to the table and respects them. I've owned both BMW, and now Audi but truly appreciate both cars. For the moment, I like Audi a little more because of certain "Comfort Creature Features" I want on my car (high crafted interiors) or maybe an option I don't want (STANDARD Run Flat Tires).

If you own a Japanese car, drive ANY of the GERMAN sports cars and you will gain a great appreciation for how wonderful they handle!! That's my 5 cents (inflation) worth ;-))

leej +1 - some people are so insecure about their favorite brand :-)

And emotionally designed exterior and brand image like that of the CLA can only attract so many buyers. Eventually, these buyers will realize that the CLA interior is a bare, plastic, leatherette piece of crap and it's driving dynamics are poor. You might be driving a Mercedes, but your getting a 3rd rate experience.

Audi will use it's progressive, alternative brand image to attract these buyers and provide a much higher quality interior, much more standard equipment, and better driving dynamics.

Once the CLA has the Audi A3 sedan to deal with in the marketplace, it's faults will be glaringly obvious to buyers who are let down by their "Mercedes-Benz" experience. They expected S-class levels of luxury and AMG levels of driving dynamics. Instead what they got was a cheap, bare, leatherette and plastic interior and driving dynamics that are not sufficient.

Audi has created a better product and it will cause the CLA sales to fall dramatically. Mercedes-Benz might lead Audi in the US by a significant margin, but Mercedes-Benz is trying to sell a plastic, cheap, bare car with a poor driving experience as a genuine Mercedes-Benz. Buyers are not stupid and realize poor quality when they see it.

It is Audi who has increasingly been stealing marketshare from BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Expect the A3 sedan to do the exact same. Just like the Q5 leads the X3 and GLK in sales, the A3 sedan will also outsell the Mercedes-Benz CLA and BMW 2- series.

Mercedes-Benz has misjudged the market for the CLA and they will pay a dear price because of it.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-01/mercedes-doubles-u-s-luxury-auto-lead-over-bmw-on-new-cla-coupe.html

The CLA, the lowest-priced Mercedes in the U.S., helped the brand widen its year-to-date lead over BMW to 4,986 vehicles, from 2,491 through September. The tally stands at 245,125 to 240,139 as Mercedes seeks to end BMW’s two-year reign in annual sales.

U.S. sales of Volkswagen AG’s Audi brand rose 11 percent to 13,001, the Wolfsburg, Germany-based company said in a statement. Audi, which has posted record sales for 34 months in a row, reported a 39 percent rise for the Q5 SUV and an 11 percent increase for the A4 sedan. Sales for the year through October are up 13 percent to 127,412.

This is because the A3 sedan is not for sale yet in the U.S. Once that happens you can expect to see the following headline, "Audi Sales Surge on A3 Sedan Demand."

Now, I think the Audi A5/S5 is absolutely the most beautiful coupe/convertible design out there. I toyed with the idea of buying one, but I need a 4 door vehicle.

And I'm still loving my Audi A6er for the fine interior and craftsmanship.