Audi seems to have their tail between their legs re this car.The car is on the lots, but they have done little to promote it.I think Audi has been much slower to understand the US market than BMW,but they have a much stronger product than they realize.It does everything I want in my harsh MN winter climate and avoids the Exxon Valdez syndrome. I am currently in NV at Comdex and was told by a dealer that Audi was waiting until after the 1st of the year to begin marketing the car.Then tried to give me some explanation re Eurpoe and Kosovo, which was daft.At any rate, I think the car is great. I have owned ML320,ML430,RX300 and don't like SUV's.
allroad Atlas Gray 6spd this month....

When I asked for marketing material, I was told that Audi had pulled it all because it had been shot with Middle East backgrounds. With the renewed (never ending) troubles there, they wanted to redo it.

Did the dealer say something like "you know, europe is at war so that's why Audi can't send any allroads over here?" If that's the case, oh dear.
The reason that Audi don't market the car in the US is (I think) that it has sold very well in Europe - and the German manufacturers always provide the home market first. Even here in Finland the Allroad is quite a common sight, which is nice, considering it's a very expensive car due to our very stupid tax system.
I'm sure that Audi will start selling and marketing the allroad more actively once production is fully under way (which it probably is about now).

I think you are spot on in saying that production capacity is very limited. In my country the first lot of shipment will be in on the 18th and that's only for 8 cars. I was told that the 2nd shipment will be in Mar/Apr 01, and there is already a huge waiting list. Luckily I will be getting one of the 8 car this lot. Can't wait.

Altas Grey / Tip

If Audi can sell every unit that they produce without spending cash on marketing than it is a simple business decision not to spend the cash. There may be some corporate branding benefit to marketing the allroad, but this is difficult to calculate. A direct marketing campaign can be broken down to an exact cost per allroad. Avoiding this cost means that the savings go straight to the bottom line. If the allroad sells itself than it is a more profitable product for the company.

Just my MBA babble,

2 page spread, I was surprised not to see anything in Outside over the past few issues. Volvo is advertising the XC big time in both motoring and outdoors / adventure mags, at least the ones I flick thorugh.

There has also been a flood of SUV comparisons in most of the motoring mags, some focused off road others more on road which I'd hope the allroad would have walked away with nut there wasn't any in them !

I suppose if they can sell them to people like us, why bother ! Though wider brand awareness is always a plus !

Perhaps they wanted to actually get cars to the dealers so potential customers could drive them. A novel idea, don't you think?

Hey the other day I saw an Audi allroad ad in a car magazine. It had pyramids in the background, and it was a two page ad. If I find it I'll scan it and put it up online for all of you to see. So they are advertising....

..have trouble keeping their Allroads in their lots (forget about the showroom!).

When I went to see 2 of them the other day, they were already sold so I could only sit in them and play with the suspension :)

Liam
98.5 A4 1.8tqm+

I have also been told by one dealer that several pre-orders have walked and that those cars are now available.