[flipsyde]

I guess its a case of good bye Mr.Audi!

[petroguzzler]

Let AUDI launch a version with only AC and power steering like Indica DLS at 14-15lakh. This would be interesting.

[liner4u]

Audi is trying to compete with bmw and merc clearly. But the stripped down version of the merc is available only to fleet owners and hotels i think. But a premium car without alloys is such a bad idea !!!

[Car-e-ok]

Audi must have worked upon the statistics of the consumers that what age group is exactly buying their cars in number. Are they being driven by owner or chauffer driven. Then they must have found out that the people who are buying these cars ,it doesnt really matter to them whether its alloys or simple wheels However the ones who have problems can anyways get them from audi. I think if they will reduce the price as well with this then they can be strategic in mentioning to people that we havent changed anything inside the car . The only change is their are no alloys which you can get anytime next year whenever you want to unlike BMW,merc.
And to be honest its not so much of a bad move if you get the car at the cheap price and with the same features and interiors as the high end version. WHen i say same i mean all round the same. The only big difference lie will be the alloys . No big deal. As soon as i get decent money get them ON.

[Sahil]

One word - STINGY !!

[Screwdriva]

I cracked up laughing when I read this. Guess the VW Group has found yet another way to milk the luxury segment buyer. I'm sure every salesman will be trained to push alloys onto the shell shocked buyer once he/she discovers that they aren't standard

[canonball]

Great idea if the prices are keen their alloy's are anyway crap I would anyway go for after-market wheels a prevailent and big trend in the west. This saves me and my tyre/alloy wheel guy the headache of swapping and adjusting prices which at times are lousy trade. This way I can individualise my car and save money so MY VOTE GOES to AUDI good frugal thinking. Lets face it after spending upward of 20 lacs the wheels are crap and after market ones are way better in design, choice and reasonable compared to showroom options

[Nikhilb2008]

Originally Posted by canonball

Great idea if the prices are keen their alloy's are anyway crap I would anyway go for after-market wheels a prevailent and big trend in the west. This saves me and my tyre/alloy wheel guy the headache of swapping and adjusting prices which at times are lousy trade. This way I can individualise my car and save money so MY VOTE GOES to AUDI good frugal thinking. Lets face it after spending upward of 20 lacs the wheels are crap and after market ones are way better in design, choice and reasonable compared to showroom options

Canonball --- The hassle is to get 16" and 17" rims in the correct PCD. It's nearly impossible to get them for the Mercs, BMWs and Audis.

And good brands like BBS start only from 18". You can see pjspeedshop.com. You dont get any decent wheels for 16".

[sriramv.iyer]

I have always been a big fan of Audi (over Merc, BMW) - Vorsprung durch Techniq - Even my mom knew that because I used to repeat it so often. This move single handedly crushed my love of many years towards Audi. Good job!

Are these guys out of their minds?

[Nitronium]

Audi = strategy fail.

No alloys in such a competitive segment? Now having alloys in your A4 is an automatic road diversion to the BMW/Merc showrooms!

[MileCruncher]

Well the only thing that comes to my mind is that "What was Audi thinking"

A luxury segment car is as much as about snob value as about comfort / equipment et al. So anything that makes the car visually detectable as "Cheap Version" will bomb.

[S350L-E240]

If this move is made just to keep costs down, then it's a disaster. But on the other hand if this is being done so you can have a selection of various AUDI OEM Alloys then I think the move is great because most Indian cars always have very dull alloys and if Audi is doing this to give us a choice then don't you think it is a great move?

Please remember I am only talking of choice from the Audi options not after market.

[devarshi84]

This is a really smart move or a totally dumb one.

If Audi is planning to sell Their branded alloys at the dealership itself for a hefty premium as an aftermarket option , I see a good business case here. The owner gets a choice and Audi gets the money.

If Audi did this as a cost cutting measure,VW better stop making cars as a whole.

[sgiitk]

They are being more honest than the crooks (Honda included) who are selling cars with only four Alloys. Hoping that when the customer catches them out it is too late for him. This is why the normal rotation is also only four wheels.

[canonball]

Originally Posted by Nikhilb2008

Canonball --- The hassle is to get 16" and 17" rims in the correct PCD. It's nearly impossible to get them for the Mercs, BMWs and Audis.

And good brands like BBS start only from 18". You can see pjspeedshop.com. You dont get any decent wheels for 16".

Well no hassle here in Mumbai = you get what you want. There is a south based tbhpean who just shipped in original brand new BMW 17 inch 5 series rims for Rs. 27 K he paid some very low duty officially some 2 or 4k all this sitting at home and via mail order each rim cost him Rs. 50 air freight! go figure as I learn getting in rims of your choice is no more an issue from the over seas market which is exactly what rim dealers in Mumbai are doing the deliver in 1 week. The customs too have started treating these imports as routine and there is no big deal, I have friends who ordering parts online via credit card (use only DHL or other similar international couriers) and going to airport and clearing them as if they were doing it all their life try it it is that simple