sepangS4

Car companies are always trying to improve margin - it is not centered around a refresh. I have found on many Audi's they actually improve visually and mechanically in small ways with the refresh and sometimes in big ways.

Seems you might be having 2012 buyers remorse or something becasue mid cycle changes are manufacturer and model specific and to me the S4 has some great updates for 2013. In models I am interested in I have never been disappointed in recent refresh changes.

KevinHee

New BMW 328i has been trashed by reviews of C&D and Consumer Reports... though it has more to do with driving than quality and cost cutting.

Toecutter

VE cost savings, what? That's way too left-brained.

Which car calls to you more?

Which car will make you want to do the parking lot "look back" more?

Which car will make you want to hang out in the garage long after your wife and kids have gone to bed at night more?

That's more like it.

helix139

(=

TO407S4

+1

Pete4 1.8t

I hear what the OP is saying and for the most part it is true. But I believe in this case Audi is working to make the interior classier and increase the levels. They got some not so favorable reviews on the original B8 interior trim pieces and other details. One of the main things they wanted to do with the refresh is improve upon the areas that brought a lot of flack. For example the trim piece around the gauges and MMI screen has been refined. If they can save money and make it feel nicer at the same time then that's great. Overall the end product will be nicer then the one now.

gk1

I don't think the change in trunk hinges or lack of power folding mirrors was "value engineering". (Even if it was... it was for the better.) I feel it was either a purposeful design change or elimination of a largely useless feature for the US. Same goes for headlight washers. I've had all of these "features" on previous Audi's and I am glad they were removed.

The power folding mirror are perhaps an example of value engineering for the better. It is easily a $500 option which savings were clearly passed along to the consumer. A 2001 S4 was $42k a 2012 similarly equipped is $49k...not bad 11 years later.

CaseyS4

Trust me...I have no buyer's remorse at all...I was a BMW driver for 10 years and switched to my S4 in March because dollar for dollar...BMW has nothing that can match its performance or its GREAT style.

The styling of either the 12 or 13 S4 to me looks more modern, powerful, and frankly "German" than the new F30...which looks like a dehydrated 5 series. If the current 5 series and an E90 3 series had a child it would be an F30.

I only raised the issue of VE Engineering cost savings because that did not seem to be a part of the discussion going on around the 13 S4. So I put it out there for discussion.

As I stated many of those who bought the refreshed E90 335i were sorely disappointed with the engine change (N54 to N55) and the down grading of cabin materials--however some liked the new xenons and tail lights over the first gen E90.

Simply put--a refresh will bring change--some good/some bad. It's for each buyer to decide, based on their taste, whether the good outweighs the bad.

For example, if you love the individual LED headlight/tailight set up (as on curennt S4) buy now--if you prefer the single "strand" LED set up on the 13 wait (if you can).

I actually PREFER the individual LEDs on the current S4.

They look like eye lashes over the Xenon's. :-)

Talbot

Honestly, that one specific item was the FIRST thing that made me think I might prefer the 2013. There were other things that followed that, obviously, that bolstered the decision.

ds2k1

Thanks to the OP for raising an interesting subject. You may agree or disagree, but he's right that the point hadn't been considered and is interesting.