Teutonic tid-bits
The latest gossip and questions we've always wanted the answer to
Teutonic tid-bits
The Spies empower you, with our weekly list of juicy tid-bits and questions we’ve always wanted to know the answer to, that we find perplexing and sometimes humorous…
If you know the answers, please share them with our readers by sending your answers to: rumors@autospies.com
Here we go:
If you’re not a fan of Chris Bangle (Although we don’t like some of his designs, will still like Chris) then you should be VERY, VERY, afraid. The Spies saw Bangle parading around the show floor in Detroit holding a Toyota Scion press kit, lovingly under his arm, for EVERYONE to see! Chris, please, no! Don’t do it to us!!!!! Do not get ANY inspiration from that abomination!
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For those of you reading all the trade rags that say the new Audi MMI system is easier to use than BMW’s iDrive, we have to take exception with that statement. We spent an hour or so in the Audi booth, in their MMI simulation stations, learning the ins and outs of Audi MMI. We can positively tell you that it is NOT and easier than iDrive. In fact, in some ways it’s much harder.
Here are two examples:
1. On the iDrive, you never have to take your hand off the controller to perform a function where on the MMI, there are four buttons surrounding the control knob that you have to click on to exit or enable menus. We found ourselves always looking down at the buttons (very dangerous while driving!) to make our choices.
2. There is no ‘tactile feedback’ built in to the control knob, to help guide you.
3. The typefaces in some of the menus are harder to read.
It’s funny that the system isn’t much easier, seeing that the team that did it, were defectors from BMW. You would have thought they learned something with experience.
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We think Lexus has the best SUV strategy of all the luxury car manufacturers. Instead of having one SUV that tries to be everything to all people, they believe that having three SUV’s that do different things for different people will win in the end. We agree.
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Why does an eight cylinder motor cost more than a six? How much more metal cost is there? :)
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The official availability date of the new Lexus RX330 is between March 15-25, 2003.
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We like what we’re hearing about diesels coming back to the US. We ESPECIALLY need some kick-ass diesel import SUV’s. C’mon Volvo, MB and BMW, take a chance! Wouldn’t it be great to have a supercharged turbo-diesel X5! Yes!
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An interesting occurrence is happening in Lexus dealerships…People are walking into the dealerships looking for GX470’s and after test driving them, end up buying the LX470 instead. Seems that if they’re going to step up on one of these, they just end up going all the way.
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It looks like the Mazda RX8 will come in to dealerships at around $30K, loaded.
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The Volvo New S60R will cost around $38K loaded.
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Why do the wireless remotes work so well on the domestic cars, but awful on the high end luxury and sports cars?
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