Standard features on the Audi A4 vs Model 3

[ikjadoon]

For curiosity only. The Model 3 has lots of advantages (acceleration, charging, emissions, AP, minimalism, etc.) that have killed ICE forever for most of us. So this is a useless discussion. Though, Elon did compare the Model 3 to the Audi A4, in terms of features/segment:

Elon Musk on Twitter

The cheapest, most barebones 2017 Audi A4 (2.0 TFSI ultra @ $34,900) comes standard with:

• Three-zone climate control (dedicated rear passenger vents)
• Leather seats & leather shifter
• Sunroof with power tilt, slide, and & shade
• Eight-way power front seats (plus four-way lumbar for driver)
• Rain/light sensor for automatic wipers & Xenon headlights + LED DRL
• 10-speaker audio with CarPlay, Android Auto, and dual SDXC slots (64GB capacity each)
• Heated windshield washer nozzles
• Aerated glove box
• Homelink® garage door-opener
  
• Trunk storage package (cargo tie-downs, right-side net, and grocery hooks)
• One-touch up/down and power-retention power windows

I was pleasantly surprised. That's a lot of car of $35k.

 

[Dynastar]

• Aerated glove box

If they would just call it a "ventilated glove box" pendants the world over wouldn't get eye twitches.

 

[timk225]

Does the base A4 include a satellite radio antenna on a metal roof, with no need to "upgrade" to a glass roof, like Tesla?

 

[ikjadoon]

If they would just call it a "ventilated glove box" pendants the world over wouldn't get eye twitches.

To be fair, I have the same twitch with "Enhanced" Autopilot. "Enhanced" should've been an OTA update; a crappy name otherwise.

Does the base A4 include a satellite radio antenna on a metal roof, with no need to "upgrade" to a glass roof, like Tesla?

I've no idea. Let's find out; from what I can tell on their website: only sunroof is available. Uses sharkfin antenna. I can select SiriusXM without changing anything else.

 

[hockeythug]

Does the base A4 include a satellite radio antenna on a metal roof, with no need to "upgrade" to a glass roof, like Tesla?

I'm sure it does. Audi's all have that standard shark fin antenna on top.

 

[Saghost]

The other expected benchmark, the BMW 3 series:

BMW 320i with no options, $33,450.

Standard Features

6 way manual seats, Leatherette "Sensatec" upholestry
I think it's 3 Zone?

Automatic climate control includes micro-filter, automatic air recirculation, left/right temperature control, temperature- and volume-controlled rear outlets, windshield misting sensor, MAX A/C function, and recall of individual user settings

No Sunroof that I saw
Rain sensing wipers/automatic headlights
9 speaker AM/FM/CD/MP3
All one touch windows
No Homelink? I'd be surprised, but I'm not seeing it in the listing.


Some things the Audi didn't have (or that didn't get mentioned: )

Ambient lighting, including door mounted puddle lights
Adaptive Cruise Control
Fob based memory for climate control and lighting and mirrors and radio presets

 

[ikjadoon]

The other expected benchmark, the BMW 3 series:

BMW 320i with no options, $33,450.

Standard Features

6 way manual seats, Leatherette "Sensatec" upholestry
I think it's 3 Zone?

No Sunroof that I saw
Rain sensing wipers/automatic headlights
9 speaker AM/FM/CD/MP3
All one touch windows
No Homelink? I'd be surprised, but I'm not seeing it in the listing.


Some things the Audi didn't have (or that didn't get mentioned: )

Ambient lighting, including door mounted puddle lights
Adaptive Cruise Control
Fob based memory for climate control and lighting and mirrors and radio presets

True. The BMW 320i is the other one that gets compared and it always seemed a tad sparse (though it's also $1.5k cheaper than the A4).

Eh, right; the standard feature list was too long. I just picked the neater-sounding options from the website this morning. The A4 base has ambient LED lighting (can't tell about the puddle lights), no adaptive cruise control (just basic), and not sure on the fob (but Google says there is some fob-based memory on the A4, but I can't see tell which trims).

 

[azred]

Why would anyone buy a Model 3 when they could get a BMW or Audi for a similar price and much better equipped? And BMW and Audi have many Internet boards to discuss how great they are. Tesla only has this site and the crappy company website.

 

[oktane]

"Free" gas and no trips to gas station is the only benefit. Some may buy for environmental reasons as well. In CA useful to buy for HOV access.

 

[McRat]

The A4 is missing the most expensive option on cars today, which is electromotive propulsion. Instant throttle response, no altitude hit, no warmup, full tank each AM, no shifts.

Let's see what Audi sells with EV technology:

It's $34500 after Federal Credit.
It cannot accelerate quickly without the ICE engine running. EV mode performance is lethargic, 11.2s 0-60mph times.
It has a 0-16 mile EPA EV range. It does not have enough EV power to complete all EPA test cycles.
It's EPA Combined mileage in Hybrid mode is 34 mpg off premium.

This is what Audi sells to compete with Model 3, not their 22 mpg four banger (C&D A4 mpg results). I must admit the MPG for the A4 is heart-breaking as is the specific engine output from 2.0L. 252HP? Really? Pathetic. Discount cars put out 275HP today from 2.0L.

 

[ecarfan]

Some things the Audi didn't have (or that didn't get mentioned: )

I would re-emphasize the fact (briefly noted by the OP) that all Model 3s come with the CPU and sensor hardware for EAP and in the future FSDC and I would add that all Teslas come with Active Safety features like AEB.

Why would anyone buy a Model 3 when they could get a BMW or Audi for a similar price and much better equipped?

That is an absurd question.

Leaving aside the fact that about 400,000 people have paid Tesla a $1,000 deposit on a car that almost none of them have seen in person and fewer have even sat in (and all those people could buy a BMW or Audi right now) the Model 3 offers features that no BMW or Audi can match:

All electric drivetrain with 8 year / unlimited mileage warranty
Zero emissions
"Gas up" your car at home (and never go to a gas station again) and if you have solar, charge it with energy made on your own roof
Use the Tesla Supercharger network for long distance travel

That is why people want to buy a Model 3.

 

[hockeythug]

Why would anyone buy a Model 3 when they could get a BMW or Audi for a similar price and much better equipped? And BMW and Audi have many Internet boards to discuss how great they are. Tesla only has this site and the crappy company website.

Are you lost?

 

[Dynastar]

Are you lost?

Maybe there was a missing "/s".

 

[Saghost]

Are you lost?

I think it was an attempt to be sarcastic that didn't quite work out.

 

[Saghost]

I would re-emphasize the fact (briefly noted by the OP) that all Model 3s come with the CPU and sensor hardware for EAP and in the future FSDC and I would add that all Teslas come with Active Safety features like AEB.
That is an absurd question.

Leaving aside the fact that about 400,000 people have paid Tesla a $1,000 deposit on a car that almost none of them have seen in person and fewer have even sat in (and all those people could buy a BMW or Audi right now) the Model 3 offers features that no BMW or Audi can match:

All electric drivetrain with 8 year / unlimited mileage warranty
Zero emissions
"Gas up" your car at home (and never go to a gas station again) and if you have solar, charge it with energy made on your own roof
Use the Tesla Supercharger network for long distance travel

That is why people want to buy a Model 3.

Lots of things we don't know yet about the 3. The first year or so of them will probably get a $7500 tax credit on the $35k base price, so they'll be much cheaper than the "comparable" cars.

The electric drivetrain certainly has some value of it's own - I wouldn't honestly be considering an A4 or 320i if I were in the market.

However, Elon said the base car would be a great car without options, and it seems reasonable to see what the benchmark cars offer as standard.

 

[Jayc]

Why would anyone buy a Model 3 when they could get a BMW or Audi for a similar price and much better equipped?

Maybe what you are trying to say is that the Model 3 has to be priced competitively with other cars in the same market segment, I agree with that. After all, Elon made it a point to stress that at 35k even the base car will be better than its competition. When Model 3 production starts, Tesla should stop this Model S protectionist attitude and offer the best car possible because there is nothing worse than 400k owners complaining they should have had more features for what they paid.

Have to say though I would not consider a BMW or Audi as an alternative at this point. Maybe if they do a decent EV one day - that also a maybe.

 

[insaneoctane]

Lots of things we don't know yet about the 3. The first year or so of them will probably get a $7500 tax credit on the $35k base price, so they'll be much cheaper than the "comparable" cars.. .

I know enough to assume Tesla will not offer a $35k car anytime soon. It will certainly be only available as $42k making buyers choose between getting $7k of "free" options (because they got the $7.5k rebate) or wait for the $35k trim level and *hope* they take delivery in time....

 

[ecarfan]

Maybe what (@azred is) trying to say is that the Model 3 has to be priced competitively with other cars in the same market segment

. I took his post at face value. But regarding your interpretation:

The S and X in my opinion are not "priced competitively" with other cars in their market segment in the sense that -- leaving aside the difference between an ICE and an EV drivetrain -- they do not offer a competitive feature set at the same price point. They are far more expensive.

And yet they are both sales successes at their price point. That is because there is a real and growing market for high quality long range EVs that also have a well designed high speed charging network available for them to use.

In my opinion Tesla could not have achieved the sales numbers they have to date without the Supercharger network. Without that network the S and X would sell in far lower numbers and would be considered more of an interesting curiousity than the "all purpose" cars that they actually are (I realize the S and X do not meet everyone's needs, but the fact is they can serve as the primary or even only car for the vast majority of car buyers who can afford them).

None of the other car manufacturers truly understand the importance of a well designed high speed charging network. Given the relatively minor cost to build them (compared to the annual sales revenue generated by ICE vehicles) if the other manufacturers realized how important a good charging network was they would have started building their own by now. But they haven't, not in any meaningful way. VW is being forced to contribute to a charging network as a consequence of their NOX cheating scandal. Mercedes/Audi/BMW/Porsche expect governments to create a charging network for their EVs.

If a major auto company CEO was told "Here is a Tesla, you are going to live with it for 3 months and it will be your only car and there is a Tesla HPWC in your garage to charge it with and the car will tell you where the Superchargers are when you want to go somewhere", if they did that, then the CEO would get it. But I bet that has not happened for any auto company CEO. So they are clueless. They think they can make some tentative moves towards offering some EVs in some markets and that is all they need to do for now. But they are all far, far behind where Tesla is right now.

 

[zenmaster]

Maybe what you are trying to say is that the Model 3 has to be priced competitively with other cars in the same market segment, I agree with that. After all, Elon made it a point to stress that at 35k even the base car will be better than its competition.

Musk is more trying to promote a vision for the idea of the car and sell it. EVs won't be a better choice for many expected car capabilities until many years from now. The Model 3 will, of course, lack desirable features that other ICE cars have. Does that make it "worse" than the competition?

When Model 3 production starts, Tesla should stop this Model S protectionist attitude and offer the best car possible because there is nothing worse than 400k owners complaining they should have had more features for what they paid.

This is a silly statement. No one is forcing them to buy the car.

Have to say though I would not consider a BMW or Audi as an alternative at this point. Maybe if they do a decent EV one day - that also a maybe.

Most BMW or Audi customers would not buy a first-gen Model 3, period. People value different things.

 

[Jayc]

Most BMW or Audi customers would not buy a first-gen Model 3, period. People value different things.

My turn to state personal opinion as established fact.

Actually more than half of the 400k preorders are BMW or Audi owners. Pay close attention to declining sales figures in the coming days, that's your proof.

Nuff said.