Spy Shot - Audi Le Mans at Nürburgring

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#1
From AutoWeek:

It looks like a Lamborghini Gallardo, but beneath the wedgy bodywork caught testing at the Nürburgring is Audi’s road-going supercar, called Le Mans in honor of the company’s string of wins there. Codenamed AU714, the new two-seater will arrive in Germany late in 2006, prior to going on sale in North America at prices expected to compete with the Porsche 911. The Le Mans is based on the Gallardo. The two cars will share an aluminum space frame, steel floorpan, lightweight wiring loom, brake system and intricate double-wishbone suspension.
Audi’s Le Mans supercar test mule, based on the Lamborghini Gallardo and patterned after the Le Mans concept that claimed AutoWeek’s Best Concept award at the ’03 Frankfurt show.

However, Audi sources say new engines and a high-tech electromagnetic damping system will provide the Le Mans with a vastly different character than has the Gallardo. Audi’s harmoniously styled aluminum bodyshell will look similar to that seen on the well-received Le Mans concept shown at last year’s Frankfurt motor show.
 

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Tom

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I think this is going to be a tough sell for Audi if what we see is the final product. They either need to market this at a lower price or implement some more exterior revisions to distinguish it from the Lambo.

From what I see, the front end is still virtually identical to the Gallardo.
 

Tom

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Default said:
Tom, not to be an asshole or anything, but did you read the article?
Then don't be and yes I did. If you're going to make a comment like that, then at least back it up with a reason.
 

Tom

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Fwu said:
Did you read it or did you just skim it, cuz the first sentence explains it all.
You're pulling my chain right? How does the first sentence explain anything?

Yes, it's heavily based on the "German Built" Gallardo and priced to compete with the 911. However it didn't state which 911 nor mention of any further changes in the design. If you take the high of $191k for the GT2 and the low of $70k for the Carrera you get an average of around $130k.

Most buyers that could afford these vehicles are going to be very exclusive. Do you think they would settle for something that looks like a Lambo when they can buy the real thing for a little more?

Just take a look at how the Phaeton is selling and you can see where I'm going with this. Audi is a great name, but I don't think it's enough to justify "my" decision to purchase this car over the Gallardo given the close resemblance of the two. Regardless, these are my opinions and if you think differently then you are welcome to share it.
 
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#8
Default said:
When is BMW going to make a supercar?
I think the BMW F1 car is pretty SUPER....but I hear what you are saying. I just don't think BMW really wants to join that race. In that price range they are not really losing to much money because it is such and exclusive market. I think they need to keep refining their M cars in order to re-take the GT and Super saloon car catagories.
 

epj3

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tool fan said:
I think the BMW F1 car is pretty SUPER....but I hear what you are saying. I just don't think BMW really wants to join that race. In that price range they are not really losing to much money because it is such and exclusive market. I think they need to keep refining their M cars in order to re-take the GT and Super saloon car catagories.
Yea bmw wants to go with the ugly designs, build quality unlike what they've been known for, and over priced!!


I think the closest bmw came to a supercar was the M1.
 

epj3

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#10
Tom said:
You're pulling my chain right? How does the first sentence explain anything?

Yes, it's heavily based on the "German Built" Gallardo and priced to compete with the 911. However it didn't state which 911 nor mention of any further changes in the design. If you take the high of $191k for the GT2 and the low of $70k for the Carrera you get an average of around $130k.

Most buyers that could afford these vehicles are going to be very exclusive. Do you think they would settle for something that looks like a Lambo when they can buy the real thing for a little more?

Just take a look at how the Phaeton is selling and you can see where I'm going with this. Audi is a great name, but I don't think it's enough to justify "my" decision to purchase this car over the Gallardo given the close resemblance of the two. Regardless, these are my opinions and if you think differently then you are welcome to share it.
I completely agree. The Phaeton was, IMO, a complete disaster. The magazines and everyone was saying "this is stupid for VW to do" but I believe they STILL went and built a new manufacturing facility (the wood floor and glass walled one??) and built the car. I've seen ONE of them since they came out.

I dont understand why audi would build a super car... they own lamborghini which is a company that produces supercars. I'm sure audi would try using one of the extremely successful W engines (sarcasm)
 

Fwu

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#11
oh sorry Tom i must've misunderstood what you meant when you mentioned that it was similar to the Gallardo......cuz judging from the picture it looks exactly like the Gallardo but in the 1st sentence it mentions that it's just the bodywork or whatever to cover it up, I didn't know you were meaning that it's based on the Gallardo framework
 

Tom

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#14
Fwu said:
oh sorry Tom i must've misunderstood what you meant when you mentioned that it was similar to the Gallardo......cuz judging from the picture it looks exactly like the Gallardo but in the 1st sentence it mentions that it's just the bodywork or whatever to cover it up, I didn't know you were meaning that it's based on the Gallardo framework
No worries, I should have made my first reply more clearer.[:p]

Default said:
C'mon I was just kidding, you know I love you.
LOL...The funny thing is that both you and Fwu made me doubt what I was reading. I had to read it again to make sure I wasn't blind or just being a retard.[:I]
 
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#15
Tom said:
You're pulling my chain right? How does the first sentence explain anything?

Yes, it's heavily based on the "German Built" Gallardo and priced to compete with the 911. However it didn't state which 911 nor mention of any further changes in the design. If you take the high of $191k for the GT2 and the low of $70k for the Carrera you get an average of around $130k.

Most buyers that could afford these vehicles are going to be very exclusive. Do you think they would settle for something that looks like a Lambo when they can buy the real thing for a little more?

Just take a look at how the Phaeton is selling and you can see where I'm going with this. Audi is a great name, but I don't think it's enough to justify "my" decision to purchase this car over the Gallardo given the close resemblance of the two. Regardless, these are my opinions and if you think differently then you are welcome to share it.
so true, i dont think its gonna sell

P.S. tom rules
 
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#17
epj3 said:
Yea bmw wants to go with the ugly designs, build quality unlike what they've been known for, and over priced!!


I think the closest bmw came to a supercar was the M1.
wasn't the McLaren F1 built by BMW, or was that just the engine.

and, I'll bet that Audi does have a lot in common with the Lambo cause the vag owns Lamborghini
 


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