The A4 and the impending MKV Passat...

VW is keeping pretty busy getting the MKV Golf ready for it's U.S. sales debut, but with the MKV Passats development coming to an end, I think the Audi division, and A4 buyers in general, should be concerned. The fifth generation Passat is going to be pushing hard into A4 territory, offering up at least two versions of the new 3.2 litre VR6, the least powerful of which will produce

250Hp, as well as a new 2.0 litre turbo-four. This, in addition to the facts that the Passat will be avaliable with 4Motion, and that a 300+ Hp variant is in the works, with a $35-36K price tag, is most certainly of concern to me as a VW/Audi enthusiast. With the 3.0 litre, 225 Hp V6 being it's top engine (in the non-S/RS variants), the A4 will be falling behind the Passat in terms of power, as well as in terms of it's price:performance ratio. BMW's up-rated "new" 330I coupe boasts 235Hp and a 0-60 time in the high 5s, and an A4 based coupe (if one ever comes to light) is a ways off. Audi is pushing hard for mass-failure: more powerful, more competant, and less-expensive cars are coming to market everyday, the 330i sedan, and the upcoming MKV Passat may be the least of Audi's concerns.
Reply to
Steve Grauman
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"Upcoming Mk V Passat"? Wouldn't the new one be Mk VI (B6)?

-- Mike Smith

Reply to
Mike Smith

Are you sure? I thought the "B5.5" nomenclature was just made up by VW fans to refer to the 2001.5+ Passats, but that it wasn't an actual platform designation.

-- Mike Smith

Reply to
Mike Smith

Stick to your VW then mate. I will still choose the Audi. Who gave VW the

3.2 oh dear that must be Audi then...

At the other end of the scale what is the new golf to be based on, oh dear that must be the new A3 then...

What diesel engine will the new Golf be sporting, oh dear that must be the New 2.0 FSI Diesel from Audi then.....

It goes on..............

The Passat has never and will never, despite being a competent Car, carry the Class of the A4. It tries too hard and shouts too loud. It dates too easily and will remain competitive but only with the likes of Ford, GM, Mazda etc. Against them , I would choose it but against the A4, 3 series BMW, Mercedes C Class, forget it.

Do you really believe that the group will engineer or conspire to push VW to the fore in direct competition to the other prestige marques and in doing so commit automotive suicide by designing the demise of such a distinguished brand with the four rings.

Even the Yanks couldn't get it that wrong.....May be not!

I for one will continue to enjoy the M3's Nemesis a beautiful Black S4 AVANT oh yes it does have fitted one of the finest V8'S Money can buy... Must be an Audi then!

Go find a gullible VW News Group to Spout off too. We can take care of ours.

Gez.......

Reply to
Gez

No, the 3.2 litre VR6 is a purely VW design.

Actually, your backwards. The A3 is built on the MKV platform, which VW designed for the Golf first.

You see this as a plus? With VW now carrying Audi engines, it leaves buyers with even *less* incentive to step up.

It's 90% of everything the A4 is for thousands less. And my father owned a B5 A4, so I have a direct comparison.

I'm not sure I can honestly say I'd pick *any* VW/Audi product over the competitive product from BMW. The A8 Vs. the 7 series would be the only exception. The C-class is overpriced, under-whelming, and generally crap for people who want nothing more than the name. The SL and S-class sedans are MBs only strong suits.

Not only do I believe they'd do it, I *know* their doing it. The Toureag pushes over $50k when fully loaded, and the Pheaton, sharing many parts with the A8, is due soon, with a price tag veering close to $100,000 USD when fully equipped. Are you that blind? Can't you see that VW is starting the push into BMW, MB, and Audi territory?

Reply to
Steve Grauman

Um, no. The 3.2 "V6" is actually a VR6-type design, ergo originating from VW.

The A5 platform has been in development for some time now, and AIUI was intended from the start to be used for both the new Golf/Jetta and the Audi A3. It's not an "Audi" platform, it's a VWAG corporate platform, to be used across a variety of models, including not only VW and Audi but also SEAT and Skoda as well.

Now, of course, the technology development/sharing goes both ways (e.g. the 4.2 V8, 1.8T, etc.), and the Audi models are obviously intended to be more upscale (though there is the Phaeton...) but let's not forget who owns whom. Audi is VW's bitch, not the other way around.

-- Mike Smith

Reply to
Mike Smith

This works out really well for both parties. It helps to cut costs during development (as both companies split the financial load) and helps to ensure a platform that can support a vareity of different compact coupes and sedans.

Reply to
Steve Grauman

Then how can it "technically" be the designation?

LOL. So, "technically", it's your opinion.

Spider

Reply to
Spider

Cheers.

Gez.......

Reply to
Gez

Reply to
Mike Smith

This analogy is a little out there, don't you think? I'm not even claiming that VW *does* use the MK5.5 designation internally, just that it's possible. Even if they didn't, the fact that so many people (a large group of them on the VW NG alone) use the term shows that it's still valid in conversation. It's not simply a 1-off term that only I use. Besides, arguing over the offical designation of the current Passat is hardly relevant to the discussion.

Reply to
Steve Grauman

I didn't say you were. I was simply pointing out that a lack of proof that something *isn't* true does not constitute proof that it *is*.

-- Mike Smith

Reply to
Mike Smith

I agree, but Spider doesn't have any proff that it isn't used either.

Reply to
Steve Grauman

Reply to
Spider

Since it's not used officially by VW in any of the publically-available documentation, I would suggest that this is proof that it's not a technical designation. It's merely something that VW fans use. Nothing more.

Spider

Reply to
Spider

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