Audi Le Mans

Hi Napolis,

I agree with you. While I feel it is not a great idea, I think the impact on Lambo will be minimal, if at all. The Lambo will still be much more extreme which is one of the top reasons someone buys a Lambo in the first place. However, for the performance seekers, this is another hat in the ring. I'm sure Audi will have a great car.

 

I wonder if the sales of the Audi will be affected by a snob (in the nicest possible way) effect. Like the Phaeton for VW. Buyers of that class of car are generally conservative and stay with BMW, Merc, Jaguar, and now Lexus (it took a while for Lexus to crack that market)

People who drive Ferraris and Lamborghinis are obviously not poor, but for many its about attaining a dream, ownership is often driven by the heart not the head. I'm sure Audi will sell cars, and it will probabaly be a fantastic machine, but wheather its a threat to Lambo while audi are still building 4cylinder family compacts I don't know.

 

I´m not sure, if the Le Mans is bad for Lambo. Especially in Germany meanwhile Audi has a very good reputation, even better then BMW, and they are on the best way to beat DC.

Does the terrrible DC A-Class or the smart-cars impair the SL sellings? No!

For many buyers the Le Mans will be a good alternative, when the Gallardo is to exotic for business-use or as a daily driver.

Lots of "normal" buyers even don´t know, that Laborghini is owned by Audi.

They will go to the Audi showroom and buy the car, because they like it, not thinking about similarity to the Gallardo and the typical Lambo-buyer won´t go to Audi. May be, it´s different in the US, in Germany it´s unthinkable using a Gallardo as a business-car, like you can do with an SL. Why not buying a Le Mans instead of an SL?

Bernd

 

I see it this way... This is good for Lambo

They need to share engines and platforms to keep the Gallardo profitable, and keep a baby lambo alive regardless of sales #'s in the short-run.

VW has had profit problems and the exchange rate of the dollar.

This is one way to make sure that Lambo keeps making two sports cars for a long time.

Honda is letting the NSX fall off because they don't have other cars to share the Technology with.

The only down-side is, if they use the Lambo to build the new Audi and then sell-off Lambo. Just like Dodge did when they developed their Viper during the time they owned Lambo and then dropped the company.

 

Jim....

I didn't hear about this car called the Audi "Le Mans" but I'm assuming it's a G platform/powertrain redone by Audi ?

I guess my take is that if the price points are markedly different (as in $30-50K less for the Audi) and performance/style is similiar (regardless of the identical mechanical stature of the two cars) then the Audi will being buyers over from the G in droves.

Bad idea.............

 

Here are a few pics.

I´ve seen the the prototype on the IAA Fair in Frankfurt. It looks much better then it seems on the pics.

The Le Mans will get the Gallardo engine with twin turbos. (610 HP)
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I don't think it is a bad idea as they need to try and reap some reward for dominating Le Mans for the last several years.

That said, VWAG supported Bentley's relaunch with a Le Mans program which did bring a new market for their cars and brought excitement back to the brand. Maybe it is time for a Lambo to go racing?

I'm guessing that something will happen when they try and relaunch Bugatti. N'est pas?

 

Aren't the sales of the Jalpa 2.0 in the crapper? Anyway, that's beside the point. I don't think it will dilute them much, since the two cars will appeal to different types of buyers.

What seperates the two cars are the respective image of the two companies.

Jalpa 2.0 owners want something bold, brash and fast with a Lamborghini script on its ass. The Jalpa 2.0 fits this bill pretty well.

Buyers of the Audi Le Mans will appreciate the racing history of the brand and the technology that is packed into the car. FSI, Quattro, twin turbos. Also, the styling is less chest hair and more refined than the Jalpa 2.0 and that alone can be a large draw to the car.

It's interesting to note that the Gallardo was snubbed for having an interior that resembles something from an Audi. This Audi Le Mans has an interior that one would think could be seen in a Lamborghini.

But...the big but is will they sell this thing in decent numbers? I kind of thought that the sales problem with the Gallardo was due in part to the saturation of cars in this strata of the market. How do they intend to overcome this problem?

In the end, I recognize and appreciate the performance numbers that the Gallardo can generate, but I would never consider buying one if I did have the financial oomph to make it happen.

If I did have the dinero, I would take two Audi Le Mans and wouldn't even blink an eyelid while signing the check for them. One in RS8 silver, and another in black.

 

Oh yeah...nudies for all you car-lovin perverts out there:

http://www.seriouswheels.com/top-Audi-Le-Mans-Quattro-Concept.htm

 

Wouldn't expect a ton 'o cannibalization. It may be that a lot of Gallardo customers bought the car, in large part, because it is a Lamborghini. It may also be that the Le Mans (riding Pontiac's gravy train w/that handle?) buyer will make this selection because it is not a Lamborghini. And so doubt they'll be cross-shopped, though this category is becoming saturated w/options.

 

These cars have the curve look, and all look more like the basic 911 shape
-360
-Audi
-911

For the guys that liked Ferrari,Lambo of the 80's and 90's

-Gallardo

is only one you can still buy that has some of that basic wedge shape that started the whole "Exotic Car" thing.