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      01-08-2013, 10:48 PM   #45
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Trust me I am not the type that takes by feelings into these discussions. Your points above make sense re awd vs rwd. The point I was trying to make is the marketing strategy that Audi has did not work. As I pointed out given the sales numbers the S4 did not impact the 3er. If someone is getting a 328i for 54k that's an active decision against the S4.

I think the problem with the S4 is not even its relationship with VW, but the A4. In the US the A4 is just not special and most people who are not in the know will just think the S4 is the 4 banger brother. Contrast this with the 328i, now that car is special in its own right, which is why people are prepared to go all the way to S4 money for it. It wins every comparo here, dare I say it it may win against the M3, lol. The reviewers here are just mental about it. So even if the 335i is confused with the 4 banger, in most cases you are still in a good place.

So sales for the 3er were much higher even with Audis change in strategy, now BMW is returning the favor with the 4 series etc so you can already tell this Audi strategy will not work going forward.

Make the A4 special, that's the right strategy
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