In the never ending quest for one-uping each other BMW and Audi have given us some entertaining commercials, ads and billboards, the most famous being the Santa Monica BMW checkmate billboard created in response to a local Audi dealership billboard.



It looks like Audi corporate is now getting in on the fun by highlighting BMW's defeat in three straight Car and Driver comparisons say - "second best, the one who fell a bit short". But don't let me ruin it for you, watch the ad and tell us what you think!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_ux0...layer_embedded

In another commercial Audi throws a dig at BMW along with Lexus, Mercedes and Ferrari.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toPxv...layer_embedded

How should BMW answer these Audi commercials? Tell us what would make the best BMW commercial to put Audi in their place.

Let me start my version.

1.
Maybe start by having an Olympic athlete (Usain Bolt - world fastest man 100 meter as matter of fact he did have an M3) driving around in a BMW M5 vs a regular person with those running shorts as well as a head band while driving an S6 and compete with each other (fair enough because both of them equip with V10 engine). At the end the M5 will out perform an S6 which is true in reality. Then have BMW sponsor the Olympic so they can use the symbol and say something like Audi still falls short (lack of 1 ring) as the best in the world.

2.
Another one would probably focus on the Unintended Acceleration incident* that merely destroy Audi back in 1986. Again start by having Olympic athlete Usain Bolt launching an M5 on a drag strip with perfect start every time while post better and better quarter mile results. Meanwhile have Usain Bolt also starts a 200 meter race on a starting block with a regular dude with all the running gear try to beat the best in the world. While the regular due false start (jump start), he also false starts on the drag strip and even if he gets it going he still loose in the end by also posting real quarter mile time in a M5 vs an S6.


*Unintended acceleration

On November 23, 1986, 60 Minutes aired a segment greenlit by Don Hewitt, concerning the Audi 5000 automobile, a popular German luxury car. The story covered a supposed problem of "unintended acceleration" when the brake pedal was pushed, with emotional interviews with six people who sued Audi (unsuccessfully) after they crashed their cars, including one woman who had killed her six year old boy. Footage was shown of an Audi 5000 with the accelerator moving down on its own, accelerating the car, after an expert witness employed by one of the plaintiffs modified it with a concealed device to cause it to do so.[18] Independent investigators concluded that this was most likely due to driver incompetence, where the driver let their foot slip off the brake and onto the accelerator. Tests by Audi and independent journalists showed that even with the throttle wide open, the car would simply stall if the brakes were actually being used.[19] Some claims were made that this was in part due to a slightly closer placing of the pedals than in many American cars, which allows smoother driving for greater fuel efficiency and more control in an emergency situation.

The incident devastated Audi sales in the United States, which did not reach the same level for another fifteen years. The initial incidents which prompted the report were found by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Transport Canada to have been attributable to operator error, where car owners had depressed the accelerator pedal instead of the brake pedal. CBS issued a partial retraction, without acknowledging the test results of involved government agencies.[20]

A rival to 60 Minutes, Dateline NBC, would be found guilty of similar tactics years later regarding fuel tank integrity on General Motors pickup trucks.

 

Put the M3 against a S4 and see who comes out on top... Audi's are crap and C&D is crap for putting unmatched cars against one another

335 should have gone against a A4, not a top of the line Audi racing a base BMW which was also 10k less expensive

Same deal as for the TT-S against a base Z4 - top of line audi against a base BMW...

Unfair matches...

Audi = yawn

 

Exactly. The cars should have been compared by price. BMW usually has some really clever advertisments i can't wait to see their response.

 

Nobody has ever been owned harder than Audi was with the BMW checkmate ad. That was absolutely embarrassing for them, Audi was destroyed and they can't seem to get over it.

 

my next car is going to be a bmw
but they were pretty funny

 

The ads are actually quite funny and I do enjoy them. It wouldn't be fair though, IMO to compare an S to an M. A similarly equiped 335 is the same price as an S4 so comparing to an M3 just doesn't seem logical. I love both Manufacturers, but an S6 to an M5 isn't fair either should be RS6-IMO again. And to CURI0 before you start attacking this post just relax I know your car and blah blah my cars so slow we've been through all this lol so I'd rather not fight with you.

 

And the Checkmate ads were private dealer endorsed as far as I know. Could be mistaken though.

 

Still amazing, and Audi asked for it.

 

It is totally fair because both of them are V10 engine as well as NA plus they never officially brought the RS6 to the States (it's kind of like comparing with a concept car ). Don't worry I love both brand but you can't deny BMW has more driving characteristic.

 

Uhhh, now the S4 is far closer to the 335i in base price. And even closer to the 335xi. The M3 is far greater in price gap. Whether you like it or not, the S4 is priced to compete with the 335i. While the base is slightly higher it is far better equipped as a base vehicle.

 

M3 vs RS4. S4 vs 335i/xi. A4 vs 328i/xi. This is how it is now. Maybe not in the past, but it is NOW.

 

You're right, I can't. I love the way BMW's feel, even the lower models like 328's hence why I said I love both brands. Also considering the RS6 may be able to be imported real soon it's way off of a concept car.

I'm truly biting my tongue here Curi0 as you come off very strongly, but you're right the Audi dealership did ask for it. Kind of stupid to put up one of your slowest cars and ask BMW to make a move. They got the response they deserved. Relax a little though man you act like BMW is the greatest car company in the world. Not trying to start a fight, but Audi is closing the gap in performance, looks, luxury and sales. The figures are all there, and I'm sure the next generation of Audi's will be even more comparable to BMW in terms of performance compared to now. As stated both great companies, all comes down to preference. In a perfect world I'd be in Southern Cali with a White M3 as my track car, and my S5 as a daily, but since NY won't permit a RWD car for me currently the S5 or GTR was my next best route. Considering I had an STi prior, I wasn't looking for another toy.




I truly do love the Ad wars, and can't wait for BMW's response to all of it.

 

Man the S5 got beaten! What is so special about it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHj0z...layer_embedded

 

The 335 beat the S5 by a whopping .06 seconds. I feel the Audi is just a better looking vehicle inside and out, plus I like the commercials. Audi FTW.

 

I defected from BMW to Audi. I can't say that I miss my BMW all that much though. Suprisingly, I actually am quite fond of both marque's. I wish I could have them both. They each bring something different to the table. And it definately wasn't the engineering that made me look to Audi. Honestly, it was Chris Bangle's designs that pushed me away. But, Audi is starting to make all their cars look the same too. I know it's all marketing and appealing to a mass market, blah, blah, blah. But it almost feels like they've lost some of their soul.