Would You Consider An Audi Minivan A Sell Out To Mainstream Or Smart Move?

If a brand takes the approach to be a true engineering leader within a burgeoning segment, and tries to take the segment to another level, then it's hard to call to selling out. However, if a brand simply assembles a fairly mundane effort, just to gain sales by using its brand, then it's more akin to selling out.

For me it is hard to say. I used to really like BMW's focus on drivers cars. They had the motto of "The Ultimate Driving Machine". Once you stray into mini vans and such it is hard to push that mantra or maintain that focus. Your engineering staff gets diluted with people who are not on a mission to make the UDM, management is focusing on multiple things, marketing wants seats that flip 12 ways etc… On the other hand, car makers like Porsche need their SUVs to have cash to develop the 911s/Caymans and such. I suppose in the end I mourn the dilution of the mission and focus of some of these car makers but on the other hand I am glad manufacturers like Porsche are still around. In the case of Audi they have always been more broadly focused than some of the other German brands so yea Audi could build it, not be a sell out and will probably do a good job and sell gobs of them.

Given that VW is incapable of building a coherent minivan, what would let anyone think VW's Oldsmobile division could do any better?

Considering their current linup offers FWD, CVT transmissions, numb steering, poor weight distribution, and rebadged echonomy cars. I would say Audi never has cared much for enthusiasts, therefore can't sell out because they never had a reputation as an enthusiasts brand.

I'd be interested if it is a real full-size minivan and has at least the power/weight ratio of my Sienna SE. I doubt they could resist making it too heavy.