Yannis

AutoPacific Announces Automotive Brand Image Results, Audi "The New BMW"

A study released today by noted automotive consulting firm AutoPacific, Inc. summarizes the results of AutoPacific's Image and Consideration Tracking Study that will help manufacturers measure and manage their image.

1,254 VehicleVoice panelists responded to an Internet survey concerning their opinion of automakers in the USA. The key question in the VehicleVoice survey was whether the respondent's opinion of a manufacturer had changed since this time last year. AutoPacific received over 5,000 comments concerning these manufacturers.

The most improved manufacturer is Hyundai Motor Corporation. Comments surrounding the performance of Hyundai give Hyundai credit for substantially improved styling, high durabilty/quality/reliability, a strong value message and a great warranty program.

The opinion of the Japanese Big Three was higher than a year ago. The opinion of Toyota revolves around durability/quality/reliability, value and its hybrid technology. On the negative side, Toyota takes some flack for building a new "gas guzzling" big pickup truck at a new plant in Texas and having bland styling. The opinion of Honda is about durability/quality/reliability, value and concern for the environment. Nissan's scores for leading-edge styling, innovative technologies and good DQR somewhat offset by quality concerns for its large trucks.

The opinion of Volkswagen improved getting credit for its exterior and interior styling, interior materials and technology. These positive perceptions are offset by a reputation for poor reliability and deteriorating value story. Throughout the comments on Volkswagen were positive comments about Audi, "the new BMW."

BMW is rated the most pretentious of the manufacturers but gets good credit for its styling and technology. BMW's head stylist Chris Bangle was mentioned frequently. Negative comments about Bangle contend he has ruined BMW styling. Others credit him for the best styling in the industry. But one thing's certain, the panelists universally hate BMW's iDrive system.

The opinion of General Motors deteriorated over the past year, but not to the extent of Ford and Chrysler. This may be because the media feeding frenzy directed at GM was retargeted at Ford and most recently at Chrysler. VehicleVoice panelists give GM credit for improving products, better styling, better interior designs and using better materials. GM's new 100,000-mile warranty also received positive reviews.

The opinion of Ford Motor Company has deteriorated due to concerns about Ford's management and leadership, its financial situation, hourly and salaried staff cuts, and questions whether Ford has the resources necessary to develop high quality products. It appears that Ford's new Fusion/Milan/MKZ/Edge/MKX vehicles have struck a positive chord with panelists.

The most deterioration in opinion was for Chrysler Group. While Chrysler gets credit for great styling on the 300/Magnum/Charger, panelists criticize the styling of its other products as lackluster. The HEMI is praised for its image and performance and castigated for being a gas-guzzler. Chrysler is perceived as being behind in alternative fuel vehicles -- especially hybrids. But the biggest negative is that DaimlerChrysler put Chrysler Group up for sale and that a buyer has not yet been announced. There are negative comments about the "take-over" of Chrysler by Daimler-Benz. There are several comments to the effect "Why would anyone want a Chrysler product if even Daimler doesn't want it?"

AutoPacific is a future-oriented automotive marketing and product-consulting firm with headquarters in Tustin, California, with an affiliate office in the Detroit area.

To weigh in with comments concerning these results, you can comment on the VehicleVoice blog site, - ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER.

Source: - ONLY REGISTERED AND ACTIVATED USERS CAN SEE ALL LINKS - CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Tycoon

I'm guessing that those people do at least 70% of their job on a PC...

If you can handle a PC, then iDrive is nothing for you, but if you find it complicated, do yourself and us a favor: Stop bitching about it and take PC course you ....!

cawimmer430

Lexus and Mercedes' are not mentioned.

Beemer B773ER

I agree with Tyc'..!!

Hmm, let's see. Right now it's 2007. The I-Drive debuted in the E65 7er in 2001, while the central-knob concept was first show back in 1999 with the Z9 GT concept car. So that's about 8 years and we STILL have people with their panties in a bunch over I-Drive. If they spent their time trying to learn the I-Drive rather than sit there whining about it, I bet they'd eat their words.

Eventhough I am a BMW fan, I must say in all honesty that pre-Bangle BMWs weren't the most visually exciting designs (eg: E39 5er. A beautiful car, but certainly does not stimulate design emotions). So it figures that Audi is 'the new BMW' coz IMO they create fairly boring and uninspiring designs, but the trade-off with that is a more simplistic and less controversial design language.


Since when has gas-guzzling been an issue for the US market?
Take a simple trip outside the city limits and you'll see an astonishing number of SUVs and Pick-ups roaming around. I for one have taken numerous holidays to the California country-side and am gob-smacked at the number of SUVs/Pick-Ups. So the issue of 'gas-guzzling' isn't much of an issue. And also, this is Toyota they're talking about, known for reliability and fuel efficiency ... not to mention the leaders in Hybrid engine technology.
Some might say this is a 'monkey see, monkey do' scenario where Toyota has created a powerful gas-guzzling Pick-up coz other manufacturers have gas-guzzling pick-ups as well. ... but the 'monkey see, monkey do' tactic has nothing wrong with it when you're selling your pick-up to a bunch of monkeys who don't worry about fuel-economy anyway.

God Bless America... (ironically, I plan to be a future resident of the US of A,.... God help my soul)

Tycoon

That's my brother, right there!

bmwrules

I don't get all the iDrive hate either. In my new E92 335 I got the navigation system because I wanted the iDrive, not because I needed the navigation system. I also got the new iPod/USB adapter from BMW and it works wonderfully with iDrive. The spinning knob of the iDrive is perfectly suited for replicating the spinning click wheel of the iPod. Also I have more useful options that I can set in my iDrive that can't be set at all in the non iDrive E90 330 that my wife drives. Such as parked car ventilation.

Beemer B773ER

Damn right!

Flippin' sick and tired of the continual crap about i-Drive. Journalist after journalist, review after review, year after year... the same crap.

"The BMW has great driving dynamics, a silky smooth engine... BUT, the I-Drive is just too difficult to use".

I know it's a journalists job to sensationalise things to draw attention to their writing/review, so many of these journo's simply put it in coz it gives the MB/Audi fans pleased, and also stirs up emotions in BMW fans.... but seriously, it's about flippin' time to let it go. If they haven't been able to figure out I-Drive by now, then god only knows how on earth they manage to use a computer to type up their reviews.... it sure ain't rocket science.

I've seen the I-Drive being used while driving (chauffered to my formal/prom in a 745i about 4 years ago) and the driver was very easily able to work it eventhough he had only bought the car 2 weeks ago. I've gone down to the BMW dealership myself and played around with I-Drive v1.0 and it ain't hard to learn.



...and just to add something about the statement "Audi is the NEW BMW".
Correction: Audi is the OLD BMW. BMW is the NEW BMW.
No one is as distinct and dynamic as BMW themselves. Audi is a nice compromise between BMW and MB - that is, a nice compromise between luxury and sportiness - and that is exactly where the old BMW was positioned, but ever since the E65 7er BMW as a whole (not just design-wise) has created a much more distinct, unique and clear image which differentiates themselves from MB, Audi and even BMW's old image.

Merc1

This has nothing to do with pleasing MB and Audi fans, especially Mercedes. These same "journalists" went on and on about how difficult Comand is to use also, well until the new S-Class came along.

M

Brendan Moore

If you think there are a lot of pickups and SUVs in CA, you ain't seen nothing. Try any Midwestern state, or better yet, Texas. Huge wheels, lurid paint jobs, lots of chrome on pickups and SUVs as far as the eye can see, and all being driven very aggressively. And sometimes the American version of cashed-up bogans behind the wheel, but in this case, usually armed. But most everyone in Texas has a truck or SUV of some sort - whether they're rich, poor, live in the city, live in the country, male, female, you get the idea. Everyone's got a truck - or an SUV, which is a truck. If you're moving to the States, you're probably coming to right place - lots of German iron here, and not a lot of pickups/SUVs compared to other parts of the U.S.

BTW, let me the first to welcome you, in advance.

Beemer B773ER

Thanks for the warm welcome Brendan, and also the heads-up on Texas and the Mid-West. I'll be sure to scratch that off my possible places to holiday in the future.
I have to say though, living in Sydney (Australia) we're very concerned about fuel prices, and the stats' show that SUV/Pick-up sales have slowed down due to the rising price of gas. The 3 times I have been over to the States, I've been gob-smacked at the number of SUV/Pick-ups rolling around. It's like a damn culture over there... but I really think it's all about image. Being a Marketing student I tend to think about why these people are so infactuated by SUVs and the like... and I laughed whenever I see a high-school student driving around in a pick-up twice their height or a in a Hummer. They're so image driven it's not even funny... but that's the US, and hey, that's what will keep me in my job once I'm over there.

Ironically, eventhough I've been talking down this whole SUV-love thing in the US, during each of my stays over there I slowly gained a liking for them. Hard to admit, but true... but you sure as hell ain't gonna see me rolling around on chrome 26"s with a custom grille and all that cheap-ass custom job jazz.

I think i'll probably get an SUV... I just hope I can afford an X5 rather than having to resort to a Tahoe or Trailblazer. Here's to hoping...