Edmunds.com reports the following:

"Audi will be setting a small record of sorts by putting all three of the concepts that it debuted at the 2003 Geneva Motor Show into production. With the Pikes Peak transforming into the Q7 SUV and the Le Mans supercar also scheduled to appear some time around 2008, the company has also given the green light to an A4 coupe based on the Nuvlorai quattro concept. While the similarities between the two vehicles will be strong, the 2007 A4 coupe will tone down some of the Nuvolari's more daring features. It's doubtful, for instance, that the latter's aluminum spaceframe chassis is going to be cleared for production. No word yet on additional specifics, but we do know that it will debut as part of the A4 next full redesign that is scheduled for the 2007 model year."

They did not provide a picture, but I will be on the hunt for one.

Okay, despite my quibbling in the last blog entry, I really do love the A3.

I saw my first one up close and personal while on a weekend trip to Vermont Saturday. Wow.

It was a black model with charcoal interior and the woman driving it (who was, interestingly, from Germany!) said she LOVED the car, which she had just bought.

She said she actually went DOWN in size from her last Audi (presumably an A4 Avant wagon) to get the A3, which was hauling her two large dogs at the time. She said she was thrilled with the engine, which was, in her words, "beautiful."

My only regret is that I didn't take a picture. But of course, I was already being bold walking up to speak with this total stranger.

The A3 is now on the market and it is truly a beautiful car. I saw one up close the other day as it pulled up beside me. I waved to the owner, telling him it looked great.

Advertising continues to be an issue for me. One ad, more traditional in its form, highlights the cars many great features, shows it actively and nimbly taking twisty roads and generally a "fun" car to have.

The other ad.... well, we have a bit of a problem.

The ad, which has it's counterpart online, uses the ridiculous notion that an A3 is "missing" and sounds like a Wanted Poster, if someone were to read one. Yes, this ad, too, highlights its features, and it's arguably creative. But it's also arguably ridiculous.

I hope folks will see this ad and post their feelings here.

I also have to express by disappointment with the price of the 2006 A3. Everyone seemed willing to price it in the sub-$20,000 bracket, but that appears to have been overly optimistic, with the MSRP coming in at $24,740-$26,400. Will this drive away younger buyers who will make up the target market of this funky 5-door?

The similarly sized "non-luxury" car Mazda 3 - also a funky X-aimed vehicle - is starting at $17,995. (Of course the Mazda, with a 2.3 L engine, manages to push out 160hp, while the Audi, with just a 2.0 L engine, is said to be able to manage 200 hp. And the price for the Mazda includes A/C, but little else. Even ABS is extra.)

Still, I hope Audi didn't blow an opportunity here by pricing for the traditional grey-hai red luxury market.

I also have to confess that I've never bought a car new before, so my sticker shock may be exaggerated.

The new Audi A4 is a dynamic, gorgeous car, and advertising highlights this excitement.

The "Greater Than" ads are a good at showing this beautiful machine in a very attractive way - and highlighting the "Never Follow" theme of previous ads.

It features contrasting images showing how much better the Audi car is - Greater power, Greater grip and Greater innovation.

As examples, it shows a toy water rocket spurting upwards, and then a real rocket heading towards space to illustrate the "Greater power" of the A4. A tire slips hopelessly in the snow, but then the Audi A4 easily gets through a snowstorm to show "Greater grip." Brilliant.

"Greater innovation" is shown cleverly by first bringing an old, black and white image of an antique train on the screen to show one side of the equation. That's clever, too.

But if I can be a bit critical here, the creators of this advertisement, Method Studios http://www.methodstudios.com/mox734" title="http://www.methodstudios.com/mox734" target="_blank"http://www.methodstudios.com/... of Santa Monica, California, make a bit of a blunder by comparing the old clunker train to (of all things) a bullet train, and then the screen scrolls to the right to show it passing below a mountain. 

Mt. Fuji. In Japan.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Audi is not a Japanese car, is it? So why is this German company lauding the bullet train as a standard of innovation - below Mt. Fuji, no less?

Having been to Germany, I know the InterCity Express is among the best train networks in the world. They come in standard and luxury models (unless my memories from 11 years ago fail me) and they have a near-perfect crash record.

I suppose memories of that one, major accident would have been brought out if they hand shown the ICE, but I would have come up with some other technological innovation to illustrate German prowess if this proved to be a problem.

But a JAPANESE train? C'mon guys.

The Xinhua Chinese news service (http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-03/03/co ntent_2641496.htm" title="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-03/03/co ntent_2641496.htm" target="_blank"http://news.xinhuanet.com/eng...) says that Audi owns the Luxo market in China:

"Audi, one of the world's top luxury car makers, is to further cement its leading position in China's premium car market by introducing its latest models to the nation, localizing manufacturing, and further expanding its sales network.

Official statistics show that Audi, part of the Germany-based Volkswagen Group (VG), currently commands over 70 per cent of China's high-end sedan market, and the country has become the firm's third largest export destination, after the United States and United Kingdom."

Also debuting in Frankfurt in September is the Q7, Audi's first SUV. Automobile magazine has a couple of spy shots in it's March 05 issue, along with an artist rendering, but the artist's drawing above (found online) seems closer to the mark, given the official Audi site's teaser images. The Q7 is based on the Toureg and Cayenne, but is stretched to accomodate a third-row seat, says the mag. It will have a 4.2-liter V-8 engine.

In 2007, a Q5 is coming, based on the next A4. The Q5 will be aimed squarely at the BMW X3.

The resemblance to the Pikes Peak show car is startling and encouraging, if it ends up looking anything like it.

For the official Q7 "teaser site," which features a Flash presentation of some early 80s Quattros and a shadowy image of the Q7, click here: http://www.audi.com/q7" title="http://www.audi.com/q7" target="_blank"http://www.audi.com/q7

We'll find out for sure at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September (13-25) but the TT is definitely getting a freshening for the 2006 model year.

The photos above are some ideas about just how "fresh" this new look will be. The top two have been flying around the 'net and are by far more radical than the current design, which was introduced in 1998. It reworks the lights, adds the new grille, and "toughens" its appearance, while leaving the roundness that makes it unique.

While the 98 design is still innovative, it's been seen, and we're ready for something new. The lower picture is another artist's concept that simply adds the new grill to the front fascia. Not very innovative, unless more is changed in the rear.

Audi sales worldwide hit new records last year, say company officials.

In 2004, Audi sold a record 779,441 vehicles around the world, a 1.2 percent increase over last year. Audi has increased its sales for the eleventh consecutive year.

According to Ralph Weyler, Member of the Board for Marketing and Sales at AUDI AG: “In recent months we have presented new models in key model lines. We are consequently able to offer our customers the youngest fleet in the premium segment. And for this reason we have our sights set on a new sales record again in 2005.” To help it achieve its goal, Audi says it will also be exhausting market potential more intensively and opening up new markets. In early March, for example, it will be opening its first two dealerships in India.

Record figures were recorded in 21 of the 50 or so largest sales markets. The top growth regions include Eastern Europe (+19.3 percent), Africa (+17.2 percent) and the Middle East sales region (+58.5 percent).

Audi boosted sales in Western Europe by 2.1 percent to 559,428 cars. Of this total, 235,092 models were sold in Germany (-1.1 percent). One of the individual markets with the highest growth rate is Great Britain, where Audi sales have more than doubled in just seven years. This market expanded by 11.1 percent to 77,882 units in 2004 alone. Spain (+6.4 percent to 43,764 cars) and Belgium (+11.9 percent to 21,509 cars) also recorded above-average sales increases.

In Europe, the Audi A8 is the market leader for sales of 8- and 12-cylinder cars.

In the Netherlands, 15,038 (+5.4 percent) new cars were sold, 6,563 (+5.8 percent) in Denmark and 5,342 (+23.9 percent) in Norway.

The US remains the biggest export market with sales of 77,917 (-9.8 percent) cars. China set a new sales record of 64,018 (+0.8 percent) units, while Japan increased its total to 13,751 (+4.7 percent) cars.

Of the models, the Audi A3 enjoyed the highest growth rate with sales totalling 179,963 (+18.8 percent) units, followed by the Audi A8 with 22,775 (+16.1 percent) and the Audi A6 with 189,049 (+6.9 percent) models sold. Despite the launch of the new saloon and Avant models last November, 310,458 of the Audi A4 (-5.6 percent) were sold.

Detroit Free Press Auto Critic Mark Phelan reports that Audi will move into uncharted territory when it begins selling the A3, a compact four-door hatchback, in the United States this May.

"The car that goes on sale here is the second generation of the A3," says Phelan. "Audi sold the previous model of the sporty little hatchback successfully in Europe for years. Audi hopes the A3 will win it younger American buyers. The brand's least expensive model is the A4 sedan, which has a base price of $25,800. Audi hasn't announced prices for the A3, which shares its major systems with the Volkswagen Golf, but a base price less than $20,000 seems likely."

Volkswagen AG, the parent company of Audi, seems to be making one, huge, collosal mistake. They are forsaking Audi (their luxury model) while building up their lesser brand as a luxury model.

It's not a good fit. Sales of the V8 or W12-engined supercars have been sluggish at $64K-$85K+ each. But it's no wonder - they ALREADY HAVE a luxury model that has been positioned in the marketplace as such.

The big question is why they are building up VW in this way? Are they planning on phasing out Audi? It's unthinkable to contemplate, but this could either signal just that, or perhaps the most foolish blunder since New Coke.

VW needs to get on the stick and bring us some new, exciting luxury models like the Steppenwolf or the Pikes Peak Showcar-based Q7 (hot new SUV, but not for the US.) The TT is looking a bit long in the tooth, too, come to think of it.

If they don't begin to act, they will alienate Audi owners and destroy the hard-won "luxury" positioning of the Audi brand.

Welcome to the Audi Club of New Hampshire blog.

This blog, like the club itself, is designed for the Audi enthusiast and Audi owner.

Here, we will talk about Audi - the company, the cars, the prototypes, and the future of the brand. Hopefully, it will also generate excitement about an Audi Club of NH, which is in its infancy, but has been in the planning stages for some time now.

Please feel free to discuss current models, experiences with your car, and any suggestions for activities in which this club could engage.