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Detroit, 3:53 AM
Thu Dec 3
32 posts in the last 24 hours

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    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of brandegee brandegee
    12/01/09

    In reply to 2011 Audi A8: Go-Go Gadget Sedan
    The A8 pretty much *has* to be a raft of absurd complexity in order to compete at that price range. The S-class has its loyalists, the 7-series already has thermal imaging cameras and many useless toys, and the Lexus LS600 is still probably the most complicated four-wheel device out there, barring a Veyron or F1 car.

    At some point they'll be too expensive to repair after just 3 years, forcing their makers to reclaim, dismantle, and remanufacture them.
     Reply
    brandegee was starred brandegee was unstarred
    Image of tonyola tonyola
    12/01/09

    In reply to 2011 Audi A8: Go-Go Gadget Sedan
    Though those headlights are a bit odd, I have no real problem with the front and rear styling. I don't even mind the monster grille all that much. It's the side view that bothers me - that high ridge on the doors seems to make the car look higher, shorter, and less "important" than it really is. Did Audi really need to look at a BMW 1-series for inspiration?
     Reply
    tonyola was starred tonyola was unstarred
    Image of Jo Schmo Jo Schmo
    12/01/09

    In reply to 2011 Audi A8: Go-Go Gadget Sedan
    The only thing it's missing is Jason Statham.
     Reply
    Jo Schmo was starred Jo Schmo was unstarred
    Image of VeeArrrSix VeeArrrSix
    12/01/09

    In reply to 2011 Audi A8: Go-Go Gadget Sedan
    An understated tech tour de force it is. I am awash in a sea of Merc's in So Cal... all the shouty, look-at-me AMG's, and fugly Bangle-butted Bimmers.

    This would be a great sled to have because at the yacht/golf/tennis club* you could boast about all the bells and whistles that your Audi has and zee other Germans don't. Win!

    *VeeArrrSix is not a member of any such clubs*
     Reply
    VeeArrrSix was starred VeeArrrSix was unstarred
    Image of DoctorNine DoctorNine
    12/01/09

    In reply to 2011 Audi A8: Go-Go Gadget Sedan
    Gorgeous. Perfect exterior. It's luxury technology inside and out is so sophisticated, that the plebes can't even understand it, and so complicated, that it induces apoplectic rage in all philosophic Luddites who, married contritely to the KISS principle, mewl their protests in vain.

    Resistence Is Futile.
    We Are The VAG.
    You will be assimilated.
     Reply
    DoctorNine was starred DoctorNine was unstarred
    Image of MaWeiTao MaWeiTao
    12/01/09

    In reply to 2011 Audi A8: Go-Go Gadget Sedan
    I'm not one for gadget overload, but this car is pretty cool. I really like the light strips inside the car. And they finally managed to integrate the front turn signals with the LED strips in a way that doesn't look like a mistake or something crapped out. At least on the all-LED version. The photo seems to imply that on the HID version the LEDs and turn signals can both be active at the same time, unlike any other Audi I've seen.

    So when is Audi going to start sticking the updated logo on their cars? I would have expected the flagship to introduce the new logo, but it looks like it's still using the old version. Even the lettering on the trunk lid uses the old font.
     Reply
    Edited by MaWeiTao at 12/01/09 12:08 PM MaWeiTao was starred MaWeiTao was unstarred
    Image of BigHarv BigHarv
    12/01/09

    In reply to 2011 Audi A8: Go-Go Gadget Sedan
    I could have used the nightvision last night in that blizzard...but then again, the rest of the year it's a little gratuitous.
     Reply
    BigHarv was starred BigHarv was unstarred
    Image of that ain't the way to have fun, son that ain't the way to have fun, son
    12/01/09

    In reply to 2011 Audi A8: Go-Go Gadget Sedan
    But, in 15 years when these hit the beater luxo-barge market, will it still be able to be driven with 80% of the on-board items either broken or disabled?
     Reply
    that ain't the way to have fun, son was starred that ain't the way to have fun, son was unstarred
    Image of Turboner Turboner
    12/01/09

    In reply to 2011 Audi A8: Go-Go Gadget Sedan
    Let's hear more about that "V8 TDI" thingy.
     Reply
    Turboner was starred Turboner was unstarred
    Image of Maymar Maymar
    12/01/09

    In reply to 2011 Audi A8: Go-Go Gadget Sedan
    You know, someone who is 65 today would have been 23 when Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band came out - I suspect your idea of oldies station is different from theirs. I'm sure there are plenty of potential drivers for this car who'd appreciate a good stereo (even if it is usually tuned to the Nightly Business Report).
     Reply
    Maymar was starred Maymar was unstarred
    Image of that ain't the way to have fun, son that ain't the way to have fun, son
    12/01/09

    @Maymar:

    HEY!!!

    Lay off my Ky Risdall.

    I admit, I miss what I consider true oldies stations (late-50's through mid-to-late-60's rock & roll). However, I knew I moved into a different target-market when songs I have on LP started appearing on the so-called "oldies" station.

    /dates self with both buying vinyl new, and only 'cause the other option was 8-track, and knowing what album cover art is

    Thankfully, I can keep myself occupied with Billboard's Top 100 from 1956-2000, though I don't bother with much after 1993 or so.
     Reply
    that ain't the way to have fun, son was starred that ain't the way to have fun, son was unstarred
    Image of Miscellanea Miscellanea
    12/01/09

    In reply to 2011 Audi A8: Go-Go Gadget Sedan
    The new interior is slick, but I feel the current generation layout is better.
     Reply
    Miscellanea was starred Miscellanea was unstarred
    Image of bmoreDLJ bmoreDLJ
    12/01/09

    In reply to 2011 Audi A8: Go-Go Gadget Sedan
    As the Audi flagship; it had friggin' better have one of the biggest grilles ever slapped on a sedan before. The headlights are a bit silly though. If you want them to be a certain shape, make them that way...don't overlap incongruous forms. And certainly don't make it look like you had to bend a string of christmas lights to make them fit inside the headlamp assembly, 'cuz that's kinda what it looks like.

    Regardless, I don't look forward to being blinded by this car in my rear-view mirror. Living near the Main Line, I probably will be often, if it steals enough sales from Munich. Honestly headlights are getting waaaaay too bright these days. Worse, depending on the angle they change color and brightness, so basically anyone in a luxury car these days is inadvertently constantly flashing people with their brights, because their brights are always on...

    //end of rant
     Reply
    bmoreDLJ was starred bmoreDLJ was unstarred
    Image of Kaiser-Machead Kaiser-Machead
    12/01/09

    @bmoreDLJ: We're just a little bit closer to shooting death rays at slowpokes.
     Reply
    Kaiser-Machead was starred Kaiser-Machead was unstarred
    Image of Kaiser-Machead Kaiser-Machead
    12/01/09

    In reply to 2011 Audi A8: Go-Go Gadget Sedan
    They should just fill the entire housing with a mesh of LED's, so you can press a button to express your current mood through the headlights, like an emoticon.

    Steer clear of the "snake eyes" car
     Reply
    Kaiser-Machead was starred Kaiser-Machead was unstarred
    Image of Ash78, tryptophanatic Ash78, tryptophanatic
    12/01/09

    In reply to 2011 Audi A8: Go-Go Gadget Sedan
    In 4 years, this car will theoretically be worth a negative amount due to embedded repair costs. That'll be the time to pick one up.
     Reply
    Ash78, tryptophanatic was starred Ash78, tryptophanatic was unstarred
    Image of Quattro-luvr Quattro-luvr
    12/01/09

    @Ash78, tryptophanatic: I think the extended warrenty would pay off in in this case.
     Reply
    Ash78, tryptophanatic promoted this comment Quattro-luvr was starred Quattro-luvr was unstarred
    Image of Ash78, tryptophanatic Ash78, tryptophanatic
    12/01/09

    @Quattro-luvr: I was actually just scratching my head in thinking about how extended warranties are underwritten in these cases (low volume, high content).

    I'm guessing the companies err on the side of caution several times over. Further, most owners wealthy enough to have one of these are probably "self-insured" or just get a new one every 2-3 years.
     Reply
    Ash78, tryptophanatic was starred Ash78, tryptophanatic was unstarred
    Image of Quattro-luvr Quattro-luvr
    12/01/09

    @Ash78, tryptophanatic: True. For those of us who buy used after the value has dropped 50+% it would seem worth it. There are sooooo many things in that car to fail.

    I'm obviously a fan and have had good reliablitity out of mine (02' A6). But a motor in the steering wheel to cancel vibration. That'll break. I know it.

    I bought an extended warranty on mine instead of paying for the CPO. The CPO work had been done, but I paid a little extra for 4 years of coverage instead of 2. I had three levels of warranty "protection" to choose from. Silver, gold and platinum. Why precious metals? Marketing people. Anyway, I'd imagine it's the same with the go-go gadget A8.
     Reply
    Quattro-luvr was starred Quattro-luvr was unstarred
    Image of that ain't the way to have fun, son that ain't the way to have fun, son
    12/01/09

    @Ash78, tryptophanatic:

    You've deduced my logic in waiting two more years for one of the last Phaetons.

    /plus, need at least a halfway decently-paying job...damned depression sucks
     Reply
    that ain't the way to have fun, son was starred that ain't the way to have fun, son was unstarred
    Image of snapoversteer 'bout to get told snapoversteer 'bout to get told
    12/01/09

    @Ash78, tryptophanatic: I'm sorry to say that I know the answer. In the initial year or so of the car's production, they price the coverage by looking at loss histories of 1) the previous model if available, 2) similar cars from the same manufacturer, and 3) competitors' cars. And yes, they charge enough to make them comfortable that they'll make a nice profit on the contract, but you're right to note that the low volume vehicles can really screw with the business model if the new model has a widespread, expensive defect. Some underwriters may even exclude certain components or systems.
     Reply
    snapoversteer 'bout to get told was starred snapoversteer 'bout to get told was unstarred
    Image of FTGDWolverineEdition'09 FTGDWolverineEdition'09
    12/01/09

    @Quattro-luvr: Surprised there is no "Black" level of protection.
     Reply
    FTGDWolverineEdition'09 was starred FTGDWolverineEdition'09 was unstarred
    Image of VeeArrrSix VeeArrrSix
    12/01/09

    @that ain't the way to have fun, son: There is one for sale on the Orange County Craigs List... 11 grand!
     Reply
    VeeArrrSix was starred VeeArrrSix was unstarred
    Image of that ain't the way to have fun, son that ain't the way to have fun, son
    12/01/09

    @VeeArrrSix:

    Like I said, halfway decent-paying job.

    $11K is what I plan to spend on automobiles, in purchase price, for the next 30 years...possibly 40.
     Reply
    that ain't the way to have fun, son was starred that ain't the way to have fun, son was unstarred
    Image of Quattro-luvr Quattro-luvr
    12/01/09

    @FTGDWolverineEdition'09: Actually, that maybe be the Super Secret Waffen edition. Since it reflects the color of the insurers’ heart and the color of the inside of the buyer’s wallet... since there is no more money in it.
     Reply
    Quattro-luvr was starred Quattro-luvr was unstarred
    Image of pres pres
    12/01/09

    In reply to 2011 Audi A8: Go-Go Gadget Sedan
    I just had a LEDgasm.
     Reply
    pres was starred pres was unstarred
    Image of alex_mcg alex_mcg
    12/01/09

    @pres: I think they finally overdid it.

    It was only a matter of time, really.
     Reply
    pres promoted this comment alex_mcg was starred alex_mcg was unstarred
    Image of pres pres
    12/01/09

    @alex_mcg: Incandescent lights are on their way out, they're just being progressive.
     Reply
    pres was starred pres was unstarred
    Image of alex_mcg alex_mcg
    12/01/09

    @pres: I prefer the other designs with the flowing led's. The sharp angle in the design just throws me off.
     Reply
    alex_mcg was starred alex_mcg was unstarred
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