Wow, this is pretty cool. If you happen to wander into a BMW dealer and see a huge flat-panel in the corner, it's likely not a TV on which owners can watch CNN while waiting for their Bimmer to be serviced. It's more likely one of these high-tech sales tools for the Bavarian motor company. Powered by software made by Innotive, these touch-screen information displays allow a sales consultant to point out design features and even call up comparisons to competitive models. It's kind of like having the company's build-a-car websites open and active, but at a much higher level of interaction. And with the ability to telestrate and customize a sales pitch to the individual, it should be the ultimate selling machine for these ultimate driving machines.
Follow the jump to see a YouTube video of a salesperson using the system to compare features of a BMW to those of an Audi. You'll also see a customer using the system to customize his car with a few taps of the glass.
[Source: Fresh Creation]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Stoneman @ Mar 14th 2007 6:15PM
Selling cars is a science. You have to be receptive to the customers needs and not pressure them.
Stoneman
http://www.stonemanautoreview.com
bgdc @ Mar 14th 2007 6:15PM
Why bother? Everytime I've shopped for (and purchased) BMWs the good salespeople don't even talk. They point you on a good test circuit and let the car convince you. If you're not sold on the drive, you're probably more of a Lexus/MB person.
Patrick @ Mar 14th 2007 7:16PM
That's in Korea.
kevin @ Mar 14th 2007 7:28PM
I like how he completely skipped over the iDrive part, LOL!
Looks like the sales rep was comparing the engine orientation and placement with the Audi A4. How Audi mounted their engines forward of the front axle. Not anymore!
bgdc @ Mar 14th 2007 8:57PM
Audi's got a bigger problem: frontrak. Until they go RWD with an option for their lousy Quattro system they're just gonna be an also-ran.
Marko @ Mar 14th 2007 10:28PM
"lousy Quattro"
HAH! I invite you to actually substantiate that comment and even you will see that you're just spewing misinformation.
RWD is great when its dry and sunny outside however ask anyone in a snow-belt area what they'd prefer.
chris @ Mar 15th 2007 3:32AM
bgdc, Audi are on track to surpass both BMW and Mercedes-Benz in sales in the next five years. Hardly an also-ran if you ask me. As said before, the engine placement is fixed for all their new cars from now on starting with the A5, and considering the change with the new platform coming in I wouldn't be too surprised if RWD didn't replace FWD on the A6 at least, perhaps the A4 as well. The A8 will always be AWD because that's what people want.
Jack F. @ Mar 15th 2007 8:20AM
Audi and BMW to a lesser extent both have reliability issues that scare away customers. And rightly so. Audi reliability horror stories abound. BMW 3 series has a similar reliability deficit when compared to cars like the Infiniti G35. Sure the Bimmer is the better car but not by much and the Infiniti won't have you in the shop repreatedly for annoying lights always popping up and contant adjustments being made to the car.
G. Snyder @ Mar 15th 2007 10:04AM
Chris - where are your figures for this Audi takeover coming from? Are you talking about the VW group vs the BMW group (I imagine not)?
Shrapnel @ Mar 15th 2007 10:10AM
#4 - Kevin. Ummm.....Audi's carry more weight ahead of the front axle. That has not changed on the A4 - and if you are talking about some future vapor-ware A4, then the comment is pointless. It is an inevitable byproduct of basing the design around what is basically a FWD platform. Sorry to break it to you.