What is it?
The latest attempt by a premium brand to bundle a load of popular options into a bells-and-whistles special edition and boost profit margins. That’s the cynic’s view of the new Audi SQ7 Vorsprung Edition, at least. We can mock, but it makes perfect sense from a business perspective.
It’s a particularly shrewd move where the SQ7 is concerned. At just under £71k, the base car is already good value given that it offers the same high-tech powertrain and trick suspension as its platform-sharing sibling, the Bentley Bentayga diesel, but for almost half the price. That’s despite the Audi having two more seats and more up-to-date cabin tech.
So what does the Vorsprung Edition bring along to justify the extra £15,520 Audi wants for it? A long list of extras – that’s what.
Extras such as mammoth 22in wheels, matrix LED headlights, glitzy additional LED lighting inside and out, titanium black trim, sports seats in premium quilted leather, Alcantara headlining, a panoramic sunroof and even a leather upholstery package for the dashboard. A Bose 3D sound system, Audi’s Virtual Cockpit and a head-up display, plus more driver assist systems than you can shake a stick at, complete the additions.
Join the debate
perpmick
HOW MUCH
You have got to be joking £90k !!!!
Citytiger
perpmick wrote:
Exactly, I totally agree, and its still half the price of the equivalent Bentley.. Is a badge really worth that much, its appears in the case of the Bentley plenty of people think it is. I certainly dont.
jer
Is it worth the extra
There is something not working in the market to cause high line version of cars costing so much more. Manufacuring costs are likely to be marginally more for extra equipment plus R&D costs for the new motor (mute point if its more expensive or cheaper to develop this than a 4 pot) but equally R&D costs were already sunk into the entry level volume models. Whatever the pricing seems to artificially and unjustificably increase proces as you move up a range that makes me wonder if there is true competition in the luxury end of the market. This applies accross the board every manufactuer groups prices and because its prestige branding no one can disrupt. There is some form from Germany for this.
xxxx
Extra R and D cost
One reason it's so expensive is VAG has the expense of designing and developing a V8 500bhp engine with 4 wheel drive, it will have to recoup that cost with minimal sales compared to a straight 6 or V6.
I for one am glad they do this otherwise the world will end up a place of straight 4 pots.
typos1 - Just can’t respect opinion
Citytiger
xxxx wrote:
429 not 500bhp, or roughly the same as the Volvo XC90 T8 PHEV, the Polestar version is 421bhp (oh and thats a 4 pot) with 4 wheel drive.
Slowmo
You might be over thinking it
I remember reading years ago, in respect of basic cars, that the economies of scale rendered electric windows cheaper than wind-down windows. Despite this fact manufacturers still offered wind down windows in the rear of their base spec cars, with electric being a cost option...nothing to do with luxury end or Germany, just producers charging what they can get away with
xxxx
Other examples
Always amazed me the base Focus used to have Drum brakes on the rear but disc brakes on the more expensive models. Not sure if this is still the case though
typos1 - Just can’t respect opinion
nicebiscuit
Slowmo wrote:
See also touchscreens. They're being sold to us as desirable luxuries, but I suspect they're actually much cheaper to engineer than bespoke buttons. They're just standard sized commodities as fitted to every Chinese £50 ipad rip off...
typos1
jer wrote:
Its "moot" point.
XXXX just went POP.
nicebiscuit
Who cares?
It's marketed at the sort of people who'll buy that new £1200 iPhone. And fair enough - there's a market there for the well heeled and ostentatious. Anyone else who just wants a seven seater and lives in the sticks can buy a Skoda Kodiaq. Something for everyone...
Personally I'm glad cars like this exist. Its a pretty good marker to let me know I'll probably have nothing in common with the owner. If they're doing well, they'll have this. Less well and its a ten year old Cayenne or Q7 on chromed rims.
Snobbery I know, but as they say, you cant buy taste...
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