Audi has a plan to manage R8 sales, quell speculators

[dascrow]

Judging by the recent proliferation of spy shots, the ongoing success of sites like Autoblog and other developments in our little slice of the mediaverse, it's no secret that we live in a society obsessed with "the new." This idée fixe among automotive connoisseurs has given rise to hundreds of "speculators" that purchase the newest hotness, then sell said vehicle for an inflated premium. It's capitalism at work, but Audi doesn't like it.

With only 300 R8s bound for the States (100 more than originally allocated), Audi is taking a page from Ferrari's playbook and instituting a policy that asks R8 buyers to sign an affidavit saying that if they decided to sell their new four-ringed supercar, Audi gets first dibs. The only sticking point: it's not mandatory.

Audi doesn't expect this to be an issue, hoping that dealers can "manage the situation," according Joel Weinberger, the owner of Naperville, Ill. based Continental Audi.

The Automotive News article in which Mr. Weinberger was quoted also provided some hard facts about Audi's dealer plans for the R8. Specifically that only 300 units will be available, 109 of 267 dealers in the U.S. will actually be able to sell the R8 and that 167 dealers will have staff on hand to service the new uber-coupe.

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/07/a...l-speculators/

[R8chris]

only 300 for USA??

can you believe this, switzerland is a very very good market for Audi then..
we get 100 cars... on a population of bout 7mio

on one hand, its bad that not more people can enjoy this car, on the other it makes it even more exclusive -

[Guilty]

We get 65 cars on 16 mio people...

[wanabe]

hey- this isnt a bad way to own a car like this...
i get to tell everyone i know that i am buying one- but i dont have to pay for it for another year!!
o.k. maybe not as much fun as actually driving it, but at least i get to keep the cash a while longer!

[R8chris]

I paid the 50k swissies in November.. I mean I am not that much of a speculator, but imagine what I could have done in the meantime with the money...
any ideas?? ... or i mean is more suitable

[L3MAN]

only 300 for USA??

can you believe this, switzerland is a very very good market for Audi then..
we get 100 cars... on a population of bout 7mio

on one hand, its bad that not more people can enjoy this car, on the other it makes it even more exclusive -

But, how many people in the USA can actually afford an R8 - as ratio of the overall population you Swiss still probably come out on top for allocation.

[R8chris]

But, how many people in the USA can actually afford an R8 - as ratio of the overall population you Swiss still probably come out on top for allocation.

sry guys.. i was a bit confusing...

I agree with you L3,.. what I meant was, R8 is more exclusive now in USA, only 300 for whole country.. wheras we in switzerland get quite a lot (with those 100)

I dont care, as long mine is in my garage.. even if I see some at my work.. its a easy way to make friend... or not


anyway.. is there no news on the market.. any rumours?
Kreso still around, or on well earned hols?
I think in the new issue of POWERCAR, there will be test again... coming end may - i dont know more.. anyone else? need more input

[L3MAN]

sry guys.. i was a bit confusing...

I agree with you L3,.. what I meant was, R8 is more exclusive now in USA, only 300 for whole country.. wheras we in switzerland get quite a lot (with those 100)

I dont care, as long mine is in my garage.. even if I see some at my work.. its a easy way to make friend... or not


anyway.. is there no news on the market.. any rumours?
Kreso still around, or on well earned hols?
I think in the new issue of POWERCAR, there will be test again... coming end may - i dont know more.. anyone else? need more input

I think we will all agree, the main think is to get our own cars - soon, and enjoy what we have been waiting for.

The forum does seem very quite of late, maybe we are all just running out of things to say, or just holding our breath waiting for news of deliveries.

I think nearly everything has been said and only new topics will come up for discussion when Audi reveal more information.

[yesilkce]

I think the most exclusive R8 will be in Turkey. There is only 3 cars allocated for 2007!!!

[996TT]

With only 300 R8s bound for the States (100 more than originally allocated), Audi is taking a page from Ferrari's playbook and instituting a policy that asks R8 buyers to sign an affidavit saying that if they decided to sell their new four-ringed supercar, Audi gets first dibs. The only sticking point: it's not mandatory.

Sounds like another marketing ploy to me - Audi's DREAMING they will see Ferrari-like demand for their eventually mass produced R8. And the fact that it's not mandatory proves it!