No label for Audi efficiency

Rapidly advancing luxury brand Audi says it will not follow others by branding its fuel efficiency technologies. While companies like BMW are grouping their latest technological 'set pieces' under separate branded 'labels' -- in the case of the Bavarian's Efficient Dynamics -- Audi says that its roll out of advances to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions are mainstream improvements that do not require championing.

The Ingolstadt-based VW-owned brand last week launched four new local models under the Luxury Car Tax (LCT) break of 7.0L/100km. Two were TT coupes (a turbodiesel-powered TT TDI, pictured, and a new entry-level petrol 1.8 -- more here) with the others high economy versions of the recently facelift A6 executive sedan. Boasting 2.0 and 2.7-litre turbodiesel engines, the latest A6 models are targeted at even more efficient large cars due to hit the market from Mercedes-Benz and BMW before the end of 2009.

Audi is placing much stead in the fact that the four new models take to 21 the number of cars it offers locally that beat the 7.0L/100km 'greenline' that defines the reduction or exemption of the government's standard LCT grab. It says this is a significantly better performance than its key rivals.

"With Audi everything is about authenticity -- we don't bullshit," stated a forthright Immo Buschmann, Audi Australia's General Manager Marketing, at the launch of the cars in South Australia last week.

"A lot of brands are out there telling you what great technologies they are currently integrating into the cars and how many cars have that technology, but if you look at the hard facts, Audi currently has 21 models in its line-up that use less or equal to 7.0L/100km.

"Other brands, they make a big deal about their environmental values, but if you look at it they have eight and seven models [under 7.0L/100km] ... Even when they are including special environmental friendly technology."

Buschmann says Audi has resisted the marketing imperative to label its cars as green or mean, preferring to concentrate on a more holistic approach.

"The cars that we offer are normal Audis. Alright, we have one TDIe model in there that is the A3, but this [lineup] shows you what potential we still have in our diesel technology when competitors are using special aerodynamics and engine management systems to achieve not such good results.

"We are already doing what other companies put a nice name to behind the scenes. We're working on the aerodynamics [of our cars]; we're looking at improving TDI combustion processes; we're working on transmissions; but we don't make a big story on it. We think our customers take this [sort of continual improvement] for granted.

"We have upshift/downshift indicators for example. We use them but we don't talk about it. A mistake I think Audi has always done -- we deliver quality and we just don't make a big show of it...

"We're promoting our product as a whole -- the entire concept. It's not just the one efficient element in the car or another. All efficient elements we have go into our cars."

According to Buschmann Audi's longterm slogan 'Vorsprung durch Technik' is the only 'label' the company needs. He says although the company is using the translation 'progressive performance' in its internal and media communications, it will not compete head on with BMW Efficient Dynamics tag in the public arena.

"We talk about 'progressive performance' internally and share it with you guys [the media]. [But] What progressive performance is, is just a translation of Vorsprung durch Technik.

"You'll never see us advertising progressive performance. If it takes a little longer for the market to understand, then so be it.

Buschmann commented: "At the moment everybody is talking about Efficient Dynamics because it is the sign of the times. We haven't talked about [progressive performance] because we take it as a given, we take it for granted... The people [customers] trust Audi, they pay a lot of money for our cars, they go to great lengths into getting [understanding] our products so it's only natural we offer the best product -- design, dynamics, environment.

"I don't want to come up with a name to promote an ecological strategy because it is not only about the environment -- it's everything. Maybe in 10 years we'll [the wider automotive community] find another fossil fuel source somewhere and the environmental issue won't be [as] important anymore and all of a sudden we'll talk about efficiency of design or beautiful driving performance or whatever and we'll have to come up with another name.

Buschmann stopped short of suggesting Audi's competitors' activities were misleading.

"I don't think they are misleading customers, because they do have efficient technologies in their cars.

"I don't want to comment on my competitor's marketing strategies, but if someone says he's got 26 efficient dynamic models, I would expect as a customer every single one of these models is extremely fuel efficient and the fact is currently they only have eight cars that use less than 7.0 litres [per 100km].

"We have normal cars in our line-up that are more fuel efficient..."

Indeed, Buschmann believes Audi can set itself apart by not going down the 'label' route. He says the fact Audi hasn't rushed to add 'e' models to its line-up is evidence of the company's bona fides.

"Yes, we can [set ourselves apart]. That's why we are actually investigating whether it makes sense to have an 'e' model here, an e model there -- I'm pretty sure we can make a very strong and sustainable message in the market with the current [conventional] line-up."

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