PraiseTheLowered

+2

they really are made very well this go around. BMW needs to step up their construction quality if they want to reclaim their title.

This is a good thing for us guys. BMW quality will get much better.

LW78

I must admit, the build quality of an Audi FEELS better than of a BMW (although the facelift 3 Series is ok and the new 7 is awesome).

The ROAD FEEL of a BMW is much, much better. An Audi is very 'clinical'. No faults, no comments, nothing negative. A BMW's got a 'soul'. It's still the car for the enthousiast who loves to drive (really drive, and not only 0-60 sprints). Has anyone driven a FWD-car lately? Try it......

Audi's promotion line is (translated): leading by technology. Can't think of anything they have invented?

But that's just my opinion. I'm sure lot's of people don't care about the differences, because they just won't (try to) note the differences.

BigMike

Hmm.... S5 is something I give them that but I never liked the A4--a bit bland. And the interiors of the S5 is really nice.. hehehe

narvselius

Nope, the new generation (starting with the curent A6) is equal in quality with BMW. It has been proven by statistics from for example Dekra, who list every year how many non-driver related faults being registreted in Germany. And the A6 narrowly beat the 5-series. And the same with the A8, just a whisker in front of the 7-series.

For those who haven't the faintest idea what Dekra is or what they are doing; check this out http://www.dekra.com/home

narvselius

Agree! There have been indications from German car magazines that BMW is fed up being behind Audi in percieved interior quality and that they will give Audi a match from now on. One clear indiciation is of course the new 7-series, but also the general feel of the LCI E90-series. It looks the same as the old one, but it does feel much more robust and "expensive".

JetBlack5OC

I agree to some degree. I believe some of "soul" is going away. The M-coupe being the nearest BMW to having that back-to-basics "soul".

On the limit the Audis still lack some of the steering feel of the BMW's. I will say the A5 felt better driving than my 5-series, granted I am comparing a sports coupe to a bigger sedan.

The new Audi "drive select" was very impressive. Similar to the Electronic Damping Control in my sisters new M3. A push of the button and the car literally transforms into another car.

The base cars of Audi are really closing in on the base cars of BMW, even in driving experience. I think Audi has easily put BMW in rearview in terms of fit/finish and build quality. Audi's interiors are top shelf. The cars feel very solid, and the attention to detail is typical German.

I have owned three BMW's and I really think I won't own another unless it is a "M" model. They are still the performance bench mark in my opinion.

narvselius

The A4 is in my mind too much style and too little content. A flashy front paired with a bland side and a standard rear... no, not my cup of tea. The A5/S5 is however a different matter...

BetterMakeWay

Here's a guy that got the essence. The "essence of racing" that is

FWD cars are simply not fun and dull, AWD cars are also not so fun to drive and if i may say even unpredictable, where good RWD cars like our BMWs have that sheer driving pleasure and the fact that sometimes the back steps up a liitle that's a good thing since that's when the car gets alive and shows it's soul.

Who cares if Audi is leading now? Who cares if Audis have (maybe) slightly better interiors...for me i'm sure there are other things more important in a car.

Then it comes to design, and while the A4 and most of Audis for that matter are just a fridge shaped cars with some lines in the headlights and some Christmas tree lights on them they are nothing more than boring in terms of design. At least BMW has the attitude to bring something new.

And regarding the sales people should remember that more than half of the sales (in almost any developed country) come from fleet cars, and it's quite normal a company to buy 10 audis in detriment of 10 bmws. I can understand that and i even agree with it. Not all employees from all companies have to understand or embrace "sheer driving pleasure"

JetBlack5OC

I wouldn't expect you to have any other response. Mr. BMW.

Audi does make a AWD car that behaves like not other AWD car ever, the R8. "NO" BMW built today can touch the driving pleasure of the R8.

Patrick E61

I have driven a 2004 RS 6 Quattro Avant Plus (C5) and that was amazing. Frightening at the same time. It sounded like war.

I can only imagine what the new RS 6 Avant is like... bi-turbo, V10, 570 hp.

Otherwise, the AUDI cars that I have driven (A3, A4, Allrad, A6 sedan) have done nothing for me. Back in 2002, a friend and I compared the E38 740iL to an A8 4.2, and the BMW was light years better. He then bought one of the last E38 models made, what a car.