Last week was busy in terms of new car debuts, so we thought we’d put them all together and see which one you think will do best in their respective segments.
Audi A1
The small A1 has been a so-so performer for Audi, selling reasonably well in Europe, but the company now has bigger ambitions. By making the second-generation model more muscular-looking and giving the latest galore of digital screens inside, Audi clearly wants to appeal to a younger crowd, hoping to lure them away from competitors such as the Mini Cooper. However, just as with the previous model, it is hard to see the A1 as much more than a posh Volkswagen. Then again, that never stopped the A3 from becoming a major success…
BMW 8-series
Just like Audi’s A1, the previous two generations of the BMW 6-series sold reasonably well, without ever setting the sales charts alight. Now, BMW decided that the way to achieve success is to make the third-generation model larger, rename it the “8-series”, and reposition it as a Mercedes S-class Coupe competitor. Will it succeed? While the BMW looks nice (if not nearly as nice as the concept the preceded it), the jury is out on whether BMW has enough cache to compete at this high end of the market.
Chevrolet Blazer
Unlike the previous two models, the Blazer is not a direct replacement of an outgoing model, but rather a repurposing of an old name to sell a new car for the Chevy brand. By fitting between the family-oriented Equinox and Traverse models, the Blazer imitates the positioning of the Ford Edge and Nissan Murano as the larger, sportier 5-seat car. With aggressive front styling and a Camaro-inspired interior, the new Blazer certainly stands out, but is the brand image strong enough to carry what is essentially an aspirational car for the image-conscious.
Volvo S60
Like an awkward cousin, the Volvo sedan follows its sexier, more popular XC60 and V60 sister cars. Only this time the awkward cousin is all grown up, and rather attractive-looking. Will this allow the model to appeal to a different group of customers that the XC60/V60 appeal to, possibly poaching customers from the Audi A4 and BMW 3-series, or will it share the fate of its two predecessors and end up being shunned for a more practical wagon versions or the trendier crossover?
Let us know in the poll and comments section below:
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