Audi is a sore loser: "Audi Responds to Report About Tesla Model S Beating its A8's"

[yobigd20]

http://www.carscoops.com/2013/05/audi-responds-to-report-about-tesla.html

 

[AnOutsider]

heh, full release:

Investors, press and a lot of front-runners are enthusing over the progress of Tesla in selling all-electric vehicles, and doing so profitably, when other EV brands are faltering. But some reports are giving Tesla too much credit.

A headline on CNNMoney.com this week, for instance, said “Tesla sales beating Mercedes, BMW and Audi.”

But the fact is that Tesla’s reported sales of 4,750 units of its Model S electric car in April were less than half of Audi of America sales of 13,157 vehicles in the month, which represented a 16-percent rise from a year earlier. BMW and Mercedes-Benz sold even more than that.

The story’s misleading headline came from the fact that Model S did outsell at least one of each of the German luxury brands’ models that are in the general price range of the Tesla vehicle. Audi A8 sold 1,462 units in the U.S. in April, for instance.

And while Model S is Tesla’s only nameplate at this point, the Audi A8 is the brand’s flagship model and is aimed at consumers in the most exclusive segment of the market. The demand for premium models including the Audi A6, A7 and A8 is growing but remains just one segment for Audi.

The CNNMoney.com story did mention that it wasn’t making a “perfect comparison,” noting that each of the German brands sells “a full range of cars and SUVs” and that pricing of the Tesla S and the comparison models wasn’t apples-to-apples.

To be sure, Tesla has been riding a boom in investor and consumer interest based on its apparent ability crack the code for EV sales with its $70,000-and-up Model S.

But while Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk has raised Model S sales estimates for 2013 to 21,000 units, the brand faces a number of long-term issues that also were noted this week by American press.

“Tesla has to show it can be consistently profitable with a single product that is priced so high that most buyers can’t afford it,” as USA Today put it. “There are questions, too, about whether it can keep its order books full, or whether the number of people who crave electric cars is limited.”

They got the Tesla numbers wrong though. That was for the first quarter, not for April. Audi has a point, but overall, it's a win for Tesla to even be acknowledged.

 

[adiggs]

Not that I'm in Marketing, so maybe I'm just insufficiently educated in this space, but how is this press release of benefit to Audi? I thought the headline carscoops put on their coverage was perfect.

 

[Raffy.Roma]

Actually the Model S sale volume should be compared with the sum of A6, A7 and A8 (that belong to the same segment of Model S) sold. But the article only states the whole sum of Audi cars sold and not the sum of A6, A7 and A8 sold.
So maybe that in its segment the Model S has overtaken Audi in the first quarter.
Ok I read better the article and I realised that my post is wrong. Sorry. Audi is still ahead of Model S in its segment.

 

[vfx]

Sour grapes from Audi for sure. It just seems childish though. Why would they even do this?

"A quarter way through the big game the Lederhosers were loosing. Two of the kids coerced a third to go up to the Ref and snitch that the winner was sipping energy drinks"

 

[richkae]

The response only helps Tesla. More free press.

 

[78Lion]

I need a picture of a baby crying! Whaaaaaaaaaaaa.

 

[jaanton]

Free coverage... If you've read the book 'Soul of a New Machine' there's a section where the DEC sales people are telling customers "Don't buy Data General" and it's like free advertising. "What's their phone number so I'll be sure not to call it?"

The response only helps Tesla. More free press.

 

[Soflason]

I need a picture of a baby crying! Whaaaaaaaaaaaa.

... haha, exactly!

Audi, quit your bellyaching and try to compete with the new kid on the block!!

 

[Discoducky]

TM is going to win another award this year: Biggest advertising budget paid for by everyone else; including other car companies

 

[ckessel]

I need a picture of a baby crying! Whaaaaaaaaaaaa.

He's not crying, but does this work?

 

[StephenM]

He's not crying, but does this work?
View attachment 22334

HAHAHA!!!! THIS!!
Really made me lol

 

[gaswalla]

TM is going to win another award this year: Biggest advertising budget paid for by everyone else; including other car companies

Marketing budget paid by Audi... DOE loan paid by short-traders... wow.

 

[mitch672]

Marketing budget paid by Audi... DOE loan paid by short-traders... wow.

Yes, Elon is a master of using OPM (Other People's Money, pronounced "opium" ), not be be confused with OPP (you know me). Now I am really dating myself http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O.P.P._(song)

 

[hvb]

Yes, Elon is a master of using OPM (Other People's Money, pronounced "opium" ), not be be confused with OPP (you know me). Now I am really dating myself http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O.P.P._(song)

Good to know I'm not the only old geezer on this forum.

 

[gaswalla]

Good to know I'm not the only old geezer on this forum.

crap.. knowing opp makes me an old geezer?.

 

[rolosrevenge]

I think he was referring to the Danny DeVito movie Other People's Money... though they both came out the same year interestingly.

 

[mitch672]

crap.. knowing opp makes me an old geezer?.

"OPP" was (maybe still is) popular in strip clubs, when I was into that type of entertainment in the early 90's

 

[Vexar]

Free coverage... If you've read the book 'Soul of a New Machine' there's a section where the DEC sales people are telling customers "Don't buy Data General" and it's like free advertising. "What's their phone number so I'll be sure not to call it?"

I am proud to have that book on my top shelf. I am sad to admit I also live in Minnesota, but it had nothing to do with it, even though I spent years in the facility they describe.

 

[rage_777]

According to this article, Audi has been eyeing Tesla for awhile so maybe that's why they wanted to respond. The article is very old, June 30,2010.

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2010/06/will-audi-put-tesla-out-of-business/

In May, Audi’s Rupert Stadler declared to the preeminent German car magazine Auto Motor und Sport that “Our goal is the complete victory.” Buoyed by strong sales momentum in China and elsewhere, Audi has been mouthing off about its ambitions for some time now. But Stadler spent as much time talking about electric cars as he did growth in the US and China, talking up VW’s relationship with BYD and Sanyo, and promising electric city cars. Only the Stadler’s bombastic headline hinted that Audi’s gain might come at Tesla’s expense, as well as Mercedes’ and BMW’s.