Thursday 2nd October 2003

Audi to Break the £100K mark

New A8s to reach stratospheric prices as Audi get serious about prestige

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Audi is doing particularly well in the UK at the moment as sales of prestige cars rise in an otherwise static market. .

This month Audi is expanding its largest model range with the new long wheelbase A8 quattro limousine, which is set to increase from two models launched here in May to a ten–strong range in 2004.  With optional extra specification costs taken into account, the new A8L quattro is set to break the £100,000 price barrier for Audi in Britain.

The current, all-aluminium bodied, range of V8-engined 3.7 and 4.2 litre A8 quattro models, were joined in July by the unique V8 4.0 TDI quattro at £57,560, and this will expand further.   Two 3-litre, V6 powered versions – one 220 PS petrol and an advanced all new 233 PS TDI unit which is fully EU4 emissions standard compliant.

Audi has already established laid the ground work by flogging the RS 6 quattro at a whopping price tag of almost £60K a pop. This momentum is set to continue as the company sets its sights on a premium-positioned 4x4 sport utility vehicle which already aired as the ‘Pikes Peak’ prototype this year and is now confirmed for production.  Two other high profile supercar coupé prototypes also went public this year – Nuvolari and Le Mans quattro are intended to signal Audi's intentions to keep plugging away with high value, prestige vehicles.

“Our centre of gravity is rising sharply as the top-end price point of our range increases ”, quacked Audi UK director Kevin Rose.  “Demand for exotic Audi products is becoming markedly stronger among prestige car buyers and these informed and enthusiastic customers are prepared to pay more than ever for the car they want. For us that means a theoretical ’with extras’ price of more than £115,000 for our top model next year. ”  

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[docevi1]

they are going to do it with the Le Mans sports car as well apparently.

Doesn't really make sense to me, build a sports car using the Audi name which is the same if not better than their premium sports car label (Lambogini)...

[docevi1]

v8thunder said:

To be honest, I reckon the strangest badging/pricing controversy at VAG was the VW Phaeton. I mean, why build a great luxury car then badge it as a VW when you own Audi, Bugatti, Lamborghini and Bentley? Surely everyone will think it's a long-wheelbase Passat minicab, rather than a contender in the luxury stakes.

I can't understand it either. It just plain doesn't make sense to me. The other problem is the amount of cars which are the same underneath- Mondeo & X-type... but aren't really all that different underneath.

I know it saves them money to develop one platform that works with all brands but all brands appear to compromise and go away from what their brand stood for.