Audi Sport Sub Brand Considered To Challenge Mercedes-AMG And BMW M More Effectively

Everybody knows BMW M and Mercedes-AMG, but if you asked the average punter to name the performance division of Audi you’re likely to receive a blank stare or possibly the incorrect answer “RS”. That’s because Audi’s performance cars, many of which wear an RS badge, are developed by a subsidiary called quattro, a name Audi also uses for the branding of its all-wheel-drive systems.

Audi is eager to clear up the confusion as it prepares to expand its performance offerings, and to do so it is testing the waters with the Audi Sport name in a handful of markets, one of which is Australia.
 

cidflekken - 8/18/2015 4:27:10 PM

+1 Boost

Personally, Audi needs to be more consistent with the RS models across the product range. Don't just give us an RS5 and RS7 (in the US). They need an RS3, RS4, RS6, and RS8. "Audi Sport" is pretty generic and cheesy, IMO. Every maker seems to use "Sport" in one way or another.

MDarringer - 8/18/2015 6:43:58 PM

+2 Boost

Audi Sport sounds like better wheel covers and a fancy tape stripe kind of engineering.

TomM - 8/18/2015 7:15:12 PM

+2 Boost

Completely Agree - while they might be able to come up with something better than RS - Sport is not it. That is the designation most used when car manufacturers want to glitz up an otherwise stock car - to get more money out of it.

MDarringer - 8/18/2015 10:09:34 PM

0 Boost

@TomM, I'd leverage the Lamborghini angle. They could market RS not as a trim level but as a brand and play up the "inspired by Lamborghini" BS like Alfa Romeo plays up the "inspired by Ferrari" nonsense.

MDarringer - 8/18/2015 6:43:21 PM

0 Boost

They already have a sub-brand: RS.

Sciros - 8/19/2015 12:56:16 AM

+2 Boost

Then just make RS "correct" and call it a day.

BMW M. Mercedes AMG. Audi RS. Cadillac V.

Seems on par in terms of lame-ass naming if you ask me. At that point it's just down to how Audi markets these cars, how quickly it gets them TO market once the A and S lines are available, and what it prices them at. Yes it needs to fix those things.