If Audi Goes Under....

….I might have an idea why.

So the doorbell rings the other day and it's the FedEx guy with a package for me.  I wasn't expecting anything so I assumed it was something Nel had ordered, but it was addressed to me so my interest was piqued.  The box was fairly large - about 16" x 13" and a couple inches thick - and surprisingly heavy.  Upon closer examination I noticed that it was from Audi. 

 

I've owned a number of Audi's in the past, but it's been years since my last.  I couldn't imagine what they would be sending me - I thought maybe I'd won something.  I sliced open the seal and lifted the lid and this is what I saw:

"What do ostrich feathers have to do with luxury automobiles?"

I was slightly confused for a moment before realizing that the feather in the "shadow box" was part of the lid to another box.  I lifted the hinge (yes, a hinged box) to discover a brochure for the new A8 cleverly packaged inside. 

 

Really Audi?!?  How much are you spending on marketing this car?  I'm sure they got some kind of volume rate from FedEx, but it still couldn’t have been cheap.  The display box must have cost them quite a bit as well - it's solid (and where do you get ostrich feathers anyway?).  I actually get stuff from car manufacturers all the time - it comes with the territory when you’re a 'petrol-head' like me - but it's usually just brochures or invitations to launch parties, etc.  I can't remember anything this odd.

My next thought was "why me"?  As I mentioned, it's been years since I last owned an Audi and I haven’t looked at new ones recently.  I did drive an S5 at a used dealer earlier this year before my last vehicle purchase, but decided the transmission was too clunky and I didn't really want a two-door.  That couldn’t be it.  I have to assume that they are simply targeting current owners of competitive makes (in my case Mercedes and Lexus) in an attempt to woo them to the brand.  It's probably not going to work with me, but I applaud the effort.

Audi is projected to sell about 137,000 cars in the US in 2012, which represents about 1% of the market share.  That's really not bad.  It's more than Infiniti, Acura, Mitsubishi, Lincoln, Volvo, and Jaguar to name a few.  Audi is really chasing BMW (267,200 - 1.97%) and Mercedes Benz (307,200 - 2.27%) though.  They'll have to cut in to their sales to grow in North America.  I like Audis.  I think the quality is better than it used to be and the vehicles are very fun to drive.  I just can't imagine that my next car will be one.  If I moved to a colder climate where snow and ice was the norm I'd certainly have an A8 or A7 on my short list (the Audi Quattro system is amazing) and I think the R8 is a fantastic car, but I just don't WANT one. 

 

I appreciate Audi thinking of me in their marketing campaign.  The box will probably be around for a while (it seems too nice to just throw away).  Maybe I'll stop by my dealer soon and take the new A8 for a spin.  For me it's kind of fun to try out new vehicles and compare different makes, even if I have to put up with sometimes annoying salesmen while doing it.

BTW - If you're wondering "what ostrich feathers have to do with luxury automobiles" - it has something to do with Audi using ostrich feathers to sweep the body shells of bare metal cars prior to painting them because the feathers have a unique property that removes all stray particles that could compromise the finish.  Interesting.  A little over the top from the marketing department, but interesting.