Effect on VW Emissions Payout on Audi

[mikehocalate]

Anyone have any thoughts on how this payout will affect the brand? I'm not talking about payouts to Audi owners, but I'm just wondering what people think the effect will be on the Audi brand longterm.
Also, not that this is likely to happen, but if VW goes bankrupt, what do you think will become of Audi? Would it become an independent company, be bought out by another large car-maker, or simply cease to exist?

[4rings2turbos]

The general vibe of the people in Chicago area about the whole thing is they're not that phased by it in the end. People around here buy what they want to buy and don't think too deeply about it. I think on a whole people will talk about it for a long time to come- like the fake unintended acceleration of early 80s Audis- but the effect on perception of the brand won't take too big of a hit.

This is how I feel about it at this point. Of course there are very conscious buyers that will walk because of it.

And what if VW dissolved? I'm not sure what would even be possible. I suppose it would be likely that VW would sell it's shares to Audi to be wholly independently owned as opposed to a subsidiary. I know Porsche would probably be happy based on the trick they tried to pull a few years ago haha.

That's a good question though and am interested to see what others think.