>If only BMW would make a decent 50/50
>front/rear weight AWD!
The AWD version of the G35 is an option.
>I find VW's policy
>insulting
I find it plain stupid. VW has spent so much time over the past 2 years trying
to come up with Audi/BMW/MB competitors that it's lost sight of building models
which are truly competitive in VW's normal areas. The Passat loses sorely to
the current competition in most areas as do most of the other VW models.
They've fitted the New Beetle TDi and 1.8T cabrio with the 6-speed DSG but
they've kept the Jetta, Golf and Passat TDi and 1.8T models stuck with the
not-anywhere-near-as-good 5-speed Tiptronic. And what about the Audi models?
The G35 and Acura TL have got the A4 beaten hands down on the price
erformance
ratio, the 3-series and IS300 are both better driver's cars and VW's W8 Passat
is equivalent to or better than the A4 3.0 in most every way for about the same
money. And does anyone really believe the A6 will be able to match the new
5-series? The A8 may very well be the best luxury sedan in the world of it's
size, type and price, but it pales in comparison to the 7-series where driving
dynamics are concerned and it's thousands more than the Jaguar XJR which is a
much better performer and not much smaller. The S4 and RS6 are the only
stand-out models they make and the RS6 is really only marginally better than
the E55 - but it's a lot more money. The Toureag may be as good as the BMW X5
and MB ML500 in V8 trim, but it's nearly as much money (it actually goes over
$50k fully loaded) and doesn't carry the prestige. The 3.2 powered model is
underpowered and over priced and if memory serves me, is fewer than $1,000 USD
less expensive than the more powerful and prestigious Cayenne V6. I own a 2002
VW that I like quite a bit, but I can all but guarantee that it's the last VAG
product I'll ever buy. There are simply to many other better products on the
market for the same money. The S4 is the only exception to this IMO.