Re: Audi moving upmarket?

[dan_masi@MENTORG.COM (Dan Masi)]

On Oct 17, 12:55pm, Peter Henriksen wrote:
> Subject: RE: Audi moving upmarket?
> Although now that AoA has jolted people's interest with the A4's
> first model year, they're hiking the price... I saw a loaded 97
> A4q at the dealer yesterday with a sticker of over $35,000.
> Still less than a BMW 328i with everything (except quattro :-),
> but not as good a deal as last year.

But still far from "moving upmarket".  I think just the
opposite is true... first, they haven't hiked the price
an enormous amount, probably on par with what other
car makers are doing, or at least certainly on par with what
a manufacturer might be expected to do with such a
successful new entry.  Second, and more telling, is the
fact that they are reaching *down* with the A4 1.8t.
The pricing and marketing for the 1.8T is clearly aimed at
a younger and not-as-affluent market, a market that AoA
has yet to try to address.

Personally, I think it'd be a mistake for them to reach
too far down.

Dan Masi
'96 A4Q