Audi's 2018 New A6 Is Almost Ready - Can It Knock The 5 Series From It's Perch At The Top Of The Segment?

Doesn't the 5 Series need to knock the E-Class from the top first?

This A6 looks boring.

The A6 will be another disaster like the A4 and A5, but Audi sells their "premium" cars with discounts down to VW prices, so the Oldsmobiles from Germany will sell.

I am so done with Germans making same car small medium and large sizes but essentially the same. MB should have made the new E class more distinctive from the C class and Audi better make the A6 slightly different than the A4 ! Integrate the 'ipad' somehow - no more tack on to dash - that just shows a cop out when it comes to design integration - how do you design a stunning Audi virtual cockpit then slap on an ipad on the dash beside it ?

You know, Porsche keeps the 911 looking very similar, year after year, slowly evolving its look at a glacial pace over the decades... and yet it seems to work well (unless you're a 911 hater or Porsche hater). The 911 is an icon, a classic design that always looks... well, classic and iconic. This goes to show you that as long as you have an icon, you don't NEED to constantly change the look.

Audi: You're look is not iconic. That's part of the problem. The other part is the direction you're going is all too predictable and played out. It's not gorgeous, nor is it different. That's why many people complain that the new Audi looks like the old Audi, even though it doesn't literally look identical.

Not gorgeous AND not different = Not a great place to be.

When the best compliment that can be paid is "It looks okay," I feel it's time to rethink things.

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PS: I own a 2015 Audi Q5 SUV, so I don't feel I'm NOT an Audi-basher.

Last sentence should have ended with "...so I don't feel I'm an Audi-basher."

Easiest job in the world - Audi stylist

yes, Porsche is iconic, and for a reason. They are also not mass production like Audi. And they are niche market ( although a growing market ! ), Audi doesn't need to be iconic, just continue to make great performing cars with great design, and be a little more daring here and there, especially between product lines..Audi still gets highest marks for quality design and execution IMO.

Audi's sales are up for 73 consecutive months in the U.S. market. In 2016, Audi's U.S. sales rose 4% whereas BMW's sales declined 9.5%. In January 2017, Audi's U.S. sales rose 11% whereas BMW's rose just 0.1%. Clearly Audi's boring design strategy or cowcatcher grill is appealing to buyers in the U.S.

As long as Audi's sales continue to grow in the U.S. at a much faster rate than the competition, don't expect Audi to make drastic changes. If it ain't broke - don't fix it applies here. The risk of turning off buyers is too great.

For all the complainers regarding Audi's design stagnation, Audi's sales results prove stagnation is not a bad thing if done correctly. If the design stagnates at a stage where buyers are turned off by one or more attributes then you have a problem, which is what BMW is currently dealing with.

GermanNut: You have a point. Bill Gates was often on the hot-seat for how problematic Windows was and how other systems were more stable, more user-friendly, etc. Gates responded (paraphrased by me): "Windows is superior in the one way that counts: Number of units sold." (he didn't have a smile of his face when he said that)

By that measure, Audi is noteworthy, getting better all the time, and within a few years, might even be better than BMW on a worldwide basis! And recently, VW became better than Toyota. In fact, VW is now officially the best car company in the world (based on the one metric that that counts: Number of units sold). No need to change when you got the winning formula, right?

Somehow, this perspective just doesn't sit well with me, but I honestly can't fault you for it.

Doesn't the A8 come out first and the A6 follow the next year?

In the current generation, the current A8 was launched in 2011 (replaced 2018?) and the current A6 was launched in 2012 (replaced in 2019?).

Is Audi changing this?

Eagerly awaiting the new A8 as it will likely underpin the next generation of Bentley's. Is there crossover platform sharing with the Porsche Panamera as well?

Any intel on this?

The 2017 Panamera is on the new MSB platform which it will share with the next-gen Bentley GT. Audi will remain on the MLB platform.

Audi, for all its effort to gain market share via visual appeals, IMO it has not gained the enthusiast's heart for a simple reason: its vehicle is FWD/AWD biased and as a result, sporty handling is lacking. Unless it transitions to the new MSB platform and RWD layout, Audi will remain the softest of the German 3 and will always be considered feminine when compared to BMW and the recently revived MB.

Yes, the new A8 goes on sale in 2018 with its unveiling set for later this year. The A6 will go on sale after the A8.

The A8's design themes will flow down to the A7 and A6.

There will always be people willing to pay for status. Audi just has to deliver the refinement and engineering to justify the price.

I dont' see Audi pricing any different than competitors, they are in the same league as BMW, MB, Jaguar, and premium Japanese, so their prices are just as out of whack as their competitors

Walk into a dealer and at negotiation, ask for a 20% discount and you will not be laughed at.

llaroo, Actually, that's not true for all models. The Q7 for example, is trying to position itself as an option vs. the GLS, yet it starts $20k lower in base price and even starts $3k lower than the GLE. The A4 starts $5k lower than the C-class. The A6 starts $5k lower than the C-Class. The A8 starts $15k lower than the S-Class.

I agree about Audi being competitively priced with its competitors. Audi doesn't kill its profit margins the way BMW does on some of its models. Audis routinely lease for more per month than their similarly optioned BMW competitors.

I believe buyers are increasingly drawn to Audi for its clean and high-quality sleek interiors, state of the art technology and safety features, premium image, strong dealer network, quality of service and reliability.

Oops, I meant the A6 starts $5k lower than the E-class.

I thought the a6 already knocked the 5 from its perch back in 2009.

HenryN, drive an RS anything and see how girly it is. Nothing feminine about Audi handling.