Autoblog: Audi says more RS models quickly on their way

[monkeyboy]

Filed under: Audi


Quattro GmbH, Audi's high-performance subsidiary, is responsible for all manner of RS, S, S-line and "Exclusive" hotness for the automaker and has seen a substantial increase in sales over the last seven years. Back in 2000, it sold about 2,500 units. In 2007, it has produced just over 360,000 models imbued with Audi's distinct brand of performance street cred. Those numbers are expected to further rise with even more models being S- and RS-ified, including the R8, which is currently being produced at a rate of 27 vehicles per day.

Auto Motor und Sport sat down with Werner Frowein, the director of Quattro GmbH, where he let loose that the former strategy for RS model production will be laid to waste in the coming years. Traditionally, RS cars are produced in the last two years of the vehicle's lifecycle, but a new shift in production will allow new models to benefit from the RS-treatment after the first two years of their run. The TT-RS and RS5 are two of the models on the horizon, while an RS version of the R8 has been rumored since its introduction earlier this year. More RS is hardly a bad thing, unless premium gas prices continue their northward trajectory.

[Source: Auto Motor und Sport via World Car Fans]
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[Stuart]

27 R8's per day means 6500 per year (based on 240 working days).
This is hardly exclusive, and means the R8 will not command any price premium.

 

[DMC]

usual audi shit stock management.. and as I predicted they will depreciate rapidly....

 

[steved]

27 R8's per day means 6500 per year (based on 240 working days).
This is hardly exclusive, and means the R8 will not command any price premium.

That's worldwide though Stu, so still makes them relatively exclusive - although not as exclusive as a CSL (hey I new I could fit a CSL plug in somewhere!)

To add insult to injury, I recieved my letter from the central R8 sales team yesterday welcoming me to the fold - on the same day that Audi announced a £1500 price rise for the R8, and a whole bunch of new options that would easily push the price beyond £100k. Just give it more power and stop sodding around finding more ways of pi$$ing off your customers.

Audi really are on a high, but they're believing their own hype and that can only lead to a fall.

 

[Stuart]

But Porsche "only" make about 20-25K 911's I think, so about 4 times as many.
But this is split across something like 10 variants.

The are more exclusive than a 911, but not as exclusive as say an AM V8.

£100K for one is too much though.
They need a more powerful version to command that sort of money, IMO.

 

[steved]

£100K for one is too much though.
They need a more powerful version to command that sort of money, IMO.

I agree. There is too much choice at the £100k level, including nearly new exotics and for me the Audi and BMW brands have a ceiling of around £90k. Beyond that you are taking a bath..

 

[Stuart]

If the R8 proved itself in battle, e.g. they raced it in the GT series, would that establish credibility and allow it to go higher in the price stakes, do you think?

 

[steved]

If the R8 proved itself in battle, e.g. they raced it in the GT series, would that establish credibility and allow it to go higher in the price stakes, do you think?

It would help to justify the allure, but there have been three major changes in the exotic sports car market that question the sanity of spending more than £100k on any car; Lamborghini bringing out the Gallardo, Aston with their AMV8 and Bentley with their Conti GT. Prior to these models two of these brands ranges started in the upper £100ks. When you can pick up a new Aston for £80k, can you really justify spending much more on an Audi?

I've bought cars with my heart rather than my head, and there comes a time when you begin to see sense. The marketplace in general is far from sentimental, and regardless of how good the R8 drives or if it had dozens of racing accolades it will struggle to justify a price point above Aston, Porsche and potentially Lamborghini.

The problem is that Audi will not be the ones to suffer this market backlash, its customers will.

 

[Damon]

Isn't a V10 variant imminent in the R8?

If so, won't a V8 take a big hit on its residuals?

 

[steved]

The V10 will be available from late next year, and no I don't think it will make a difference to those V8 R8s that are priced without a premium. The V10 is likely to retail at around £110k when fully specced which seems too much, therefore I would expect most people will still prefer the V8, since it gives them the looks, driving experience and decent performance without the silly price.