According to the Audi S4 vs. BMW 335i comparison test from Edmunds InsideLine:

Audi S4

Base MSRP: $46,725
As-tested MSRP: $59,150
Slalom (mph): 68.8 (67.2 with stability control on)
Skid pad (g): 0.90 (0.92 with stability control on)
0-60: 4.9 seconds
Curb weight, as-tested (lbs.): 3,984

BMW 335i

Base MSRP: $41,125
As-tested MSRP: $49,320
Slalom (mph): 68.4
Skid pad (g): 0.92
0-60: 5.3 seconds
Curb weight, as-tested (lbs.): 3,607

Now, stop reading for a second, look at the test results again and try to come up with a winner OBJECTIVELY. when you are ready, read on.

Okay, so the BMW is cheaper (by 10 grands according the as-test price and good luck on finding a S4 that’s below $50k on the lot), handles equally well, is lighter, has better steering feel and is only a tad slower than the S4… But the Audi S4 still ends up as the winner? I mean, seriously, WTF?

No, I haven’t been in the new S4 yet but based on my experienced in the new A4 Quattro, countless times in the 335i and this sentence from the comparo write-up:

“We still prefer the more natural feel of the BMW’s steering to the S4’s responsive but slightly over-boosted setup.”

I would think the 335i would end up as the winner, by a narrow margin nevertheless but still… I mean the only strong suit of the S4 seems to be more “confident” due to the AWD setup, but what happen to that “true driver’s car” banner the automotive editors always like to wave? What about that thrill that only the RWD cars can provide? So is InsideLine openly admitting here that technology > the enthusiasts? Aren’t all the automotive editors should be enthusiasts? Isn’t that the reason they always knock on the Lexus because it’s not always about the numbers, it’s about the “feel”?

Seriously, Edmunds IL, WHAT ARE YOU SMOKING?

Oh and by the way… Audi, what are you thinking when you priced the S4? Who the heck is going to pay for a $60k S4 when anyone can special order a M3 for $56k? GEEZ!

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[Source: Edmunds IL]

It puzzles me everytime when people say Passat is the “driver’s car” of family sedans and other aren’t… I mean, all the sedans are products of compromise, some are compromised more than others, that’s it, to say that the Passat is a “drive’s car” while others aren’t is just ridiculous in my humble opinion.

I understand that most of us can only afford one car so we want the best balance of comfort, practicality and performance (I am in the same boat). Then my question is, if that’s the case, why would I want to get a VW? There are true RWD sports sedans out there that costs less than a comparable VW and performs better, for example:

VW CC VR6 Sport FWD: $39,015
VW CC VR6 4Motion AWD: $40,115

(I picked VR6 because that’s the only model that comes with the V6, VW doesn’t offer V6 for Passat anymore)

Infiniti G37 Base: $33,250
Infiniti G37 Journey: $33,700
Infiniti G37 Sport: $34,250
Infiniti G37 X: $35,750

BMW 335i: $40,300
BMW 335ix: $42,300

Lexus IS350: $37,295

MB C350 Sport: $39,750

Then there are those who just want a comfortable and yet reliable A-to-B commuter. Based on the simple comparison I did they have even less reasons to pick VW over the other family sedans:

VW Passat: $27,600

Toyota Camry SE: $25,840
Honda Accord EX: $26,805
Nissan Altima 3.5 SE: $25,680
Mazda MAZDA6 S Sport: $24,330

(I picked the V6 models to compare with the turbo-charge 4 banger Passat just for giggles, we all know that the I4 models cost even less than the prices shown above…)

So… Can anyone tell me what’s the point of VW?

Recently I got into a debate with a friend about whether or not Honda/Acura has been a disappointment in the last several years, so it got me thinking… How far exactly did Honda/Acura fall compare to its status and reputation back in the late 80s and 90s, I mean Honda used to have the best value in terms of price and performance back in the 90s, they also didn’t look bad at all. When Acura and Lexus first started as the two first Japanese luxury brands they were head-to-head all the way till the mid-90s. The first and second generation Acura Legends were magnificent cars, the interior fit-n-finish can rival some high end cars today such as the LS460. However, Lexus has really pulled away in the last 10 years…

I know a lot of people are still in their 90s cave pretending that Honda was still the poor man’s BMW it used to be and that’s exactly what Honda wants you to do, they are riding on past reputation. However, the truth is that their cars all got bigger, interiors got cheaper and Acuras got a whole lot uglier. They used to have “fun” cars at relatively obtainable price like the CRX, Integra and S2000 but not anymore. They hung the NSX out dry for more than 10 years without any major update before killing it, when the NSX first debut it’s the first Japanese supercar that can rival the European exotics but by the time it goes out, many sports sedans can give it a serious run for its money…

Also, Honda has always said they will make Acura a first-tier luxury car company, however, everything that they are doing or did contradict to the goal. No V8 and RWD? Sure I agree that due to the fuel economy restriction it’ll be less likely for people to opt for high displacement V8s in the future. Personally I think supercharged/turbocharged V6 is the way to go, but that wouldn’t stop those people who is willing and able to pay for the V8 luxury car and there will ALWAYS be a group of people like that. In a way, here in America people associate V8 with luxury and there are still people who wouldn’t even sniff at a car if it doesn’t have 8 bangers under the hood. By the way, let’s take a step back drop the V8 discussion for a while, but how is Honda planning to make Acura first tier without a true flagship? Huh?

Ok, maybe Honda is doing better on the other fronts, such as the green technology like hybrid you say, after all they are one of the first companies to offer a mass produced hybrid, the Insight. The truth is that the new Insight is so terrible that it’s the first car Jeremy Clarkson has ever considered crashing into a tree, on purpose, so he didn’t have to drive it any more… The Honda Insight returns a worse fuel economy than the 2nd generation Prius but is only $2000 cheaper than the new Prius, the fit-n-finish and material use make the car felt like a tin can and the rough idle and transition between gasoline and electric make you feel you are riding a lawn mower. Don’t believe me? Read up the reviews for the new Honda Insight then you be a judge yourself.

So to summarize, Honda can’t do performance, can’t do luxury and can’t do green… It just amazes that there are still people yapping about how Toyota is “boring” and Honda makes “drives’ cars”. I got two words for those people…

WAKE UP

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Motor Trend recently did a comparo between the 2010 Cadillac SRX and 2010 Lexus RX350 and following is how they summarized in the article:

Simply put, the new Cadillac SRX drives the way it looks: sexy, fun, apart from the pack. It’s full of brand flavor, even if budget shortcuts reveal ragged edges under some of the covers. The Lexus RX 350 drives the way it looks, too: almost annoyingly competent. Cushy and comfortable, reliable and unobtrusive.

Those of you who value Lexus’ “relentless pursuit of perfection” will puzzle over our values in choosing this comparison’s winner. Those of you who understand how we value entertaining driving dynamics over all else will understand. The ‘10 Cadillac SRX is refined enough to overlook its shortcomings and take over the Lexus RX 350 because it’s the luxury crossover we’d prefer to look at and drive, every day. If Cadillac could close its refinement gap with Lexus, the new SRX crossover would be unbeatable in the marketplace.

First Place: Cadillac SRX
Good dynamics with a nice ride-handling compromise overcome refinement shortcomings. Turns out that Cadillac style and attitude work in this segment.

Second Place: Lexus RX 350
This is the benchmark for refinement and sumptuousness in luxury vehicles under $60,000. You will remember feeling coddled; you will immediately forget the drive experience.

At this point one would think that the SRX won this comparo fair and square… However, that’s not really the case with further examination. At the last page of the article MT also provided the OBJECTIVE (read: unbiased) test results and I have summarized a few important ones for easier comparison:

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Before I get myself into trouble or before some of you call me an elitist, send me a hate mail and/or anthrax, let me just say that I am neither a union historian nor an automotive industry expert. I am just regular guy who worked hard to be where I am now and have a passion about cars and the auto industry.

Now that the lawyers are happy, let’s get to it…

Those of you who follow the news, current events or haven’t been living in a cave in the last couple years understand that our economy is in a hole, and a pretty big one at that. Due to that reason, the already-fragile domestic automotive industry is now facing the biggest challenge ever since the car was invented over 100 years ago. Back in the days when Detroit was booming, the Big Three were able to offer attractive health benefit and retirement packages. Assembly lines were not as automated as today so they needed a lot of workers to do monkey-see, monkey do kind of jobs on the line. As a result, people without an advance diploma or a set of skills could easily get a job working for the Big Three and enjoy their so-called “middle-class life” or “American Dream”.

The situation was rosy back then, cars were sold in bunches so the auto companies were more than willing to pay the kind of wages that those workers probably didn’t deserve. Unfortunately, those assembly line workers took it for granted and their union, the UAW (United Auto Workers), has since has become a “voice for blue-collar brothers” in the auto industry and has literally held the companies up for ransom up until today.

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