Audi President Johan De Nysschen
Audi of America President Johan de Nysschen dismissed GM’s upcoming plug-in hybrid, the Chevrolet Volt as “a car for idiots.” More specifically, he said that few consumers will be willing to pay $40,000 base price for a car that competes with $25,000 hybrids.
“No one is going to pay a $15,000 premium for a car that competes with a (Toyota) Corolla,” he said. “So there are not enough idiots who will buy it.” “They’re for the intellectual elite who want to show what enlightened souls they are,” he said.
In addition, he noted, the Volt is not a luxury car whose green-technology costs will be excused because it also delivers prestige or performance.
De Nysschen is an advocate of diesel technology:
De Nysschen expressed frustration with regulators and policymakers, saying the public has been hoodwinked into believing that E.V.’s are the only answer to global warming. The U.S. government, he said, is pouring billions of dollars into E.V. technology, yet diesel technology could deliver a more immediate and dramatic decrease in global-warming emissions. And the man knows of what he speaks: Modern diesels already power half of Audi’s cars in Europe and have helped Audi dominate recent runnings of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Diesels have been shown to emit 25 percent less carbon dioxide than gasoline engines, while using 25 to 35 percent less fuel.¹
The Audi of America president ended with a bold prediction: The Volt will fall flat. And the federal government, having publicly forced GM to develop electric cars, will subsidize the Volt to save face and boost sales.
In related news, CNET recently reported GM’s astronomical claim of the Volt’s 230 mpg are false, and a more realistic evaluation put the cars fuel economy at 48 mpg.
GM has since backed away from the 230 mpg claim.
{ 2 trackbacks }
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
It’s sad that we need the president of Audi to point out something so glaringly obvious.
Finally, someone with the balls to point this out.
LOL! Even the Euro car people are sick and tired of hearing this green crap.
There is a reason why they call them the “Toyota Pious.”
Thanks for the new buzz word: “Toyota Pious.”
Volt’s 230 mpg are false
Yes, I belive that claim will be it’s undoing. Only way you can get close to that is to have all conditions perfect for 40 miles. Super charged batter, Tailwind, no turns, stops, absolutely smooth surface, right speed, and no other electronics operating. A jokey of a driver (weights under 100 pounds) is needed and the list goes on and on.
When drivers figure out it won’t even go 230 Miles on a charge and full tank, that will be the end of it.
Audi builds cars for people who know better, and can afford it. Nothing “elite’ about having money for an exceptional car.
He said “intellectual elites” and he’s right.
People who think they know better, regardless of facts or scientific arguments to the contrary. People who’d look at the Volt and think, “What a great idea!”
And, he’s right.
The Volt is dead end that will be put on life support by the goobermint.
Expensive with extremely low range and long recharge times.
GM started it with its stupid “230 mpg” nonsense.
Yes, he has the balls to speak out on the Volt but he does not get to the core.
CO2 is not a climate driver and Anthropogenic Warming is a hoax.
The current GM Boss said it out loud. Global Warming is nothing more but a bunch of crap.
The Volt will be another bomb. It`ll be bought by arrogant elitists, who think they`re better then everyone else, to make themselves feel good. And you`re right Ron de Hann, man-made global warming is a hoax. The whole basis for the hoax is theories and computer models manipulated by global warming advocates, and is a political movement. It has nothing to do with climate or science.
The Volt is priced high but the concept is good. Most owners will run on plug-in power alone but you won’t need a second car if you want to make a longer trip now and then. And it won’t leave you stranded if the battery goes flat.
Audis are nice cars until you get a few years on them. Then you start getting some very expensive repair bills. Talk about a car for posers! This guy is on thin ice to be calling people idiots.