Audi plots new era in Australia with sharper pricing, hybrids and shorter model cycles

Audi Australia has commenced implementation of a mettlesome concept to catch away of years-long product stagnation and slipping sales results, with impress director Jeff Mannering telling Chasing Vehicles the following 12-24 months will usher in a “renaissance” for the native success of the German impress.

Central to the hopes of a sales rebuild are three components Audi Australia hopes will bring further buyer passion:

• Sharper pricing than key rivals Mercedes-Benz and BMW
• Shorter life cycles ensuing in additional frequent model updates
• More hybrids, in a comprehensive response to both emissions laws and rising buyer ask

Initiation of the advertising campaign coincides with this week’s Australian open of the third-generation Q5 midsize SUV (read our review) moral months after the crossover hit German roads, and at prices undercutting the BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC.

“We’re now into our unique share – a renaissance, something that is presumably fairly of late,” mentioned Mannering. Part of the say we had became as soon as that our lifecycles had been prolonged, so this might maybe increasingly back catch some unique and a few veteran customers in.”

Mannering and senior Audi Australia product executives are privy to the must shift sales toward decrease-CO2 powertrains to book obvious of penalties under the New Vehicle Efficiency Celebrated (NVES) regime that sees headline CO2 limits ratchet down from 141g/km in 2025 to 58g/km in 2029.

“It is a mathematical equation—as [NVES headline CO₂ limits progress] from 141g/km in 2025 to 117g/km in 2026 and onward, we decrease ICE and develop BEV and PHEV,” mentioned impress director Jeff Mannering.

Led by the unique Q5, a differ of stronger soft hybrid powertrains are on the reach to Australia to decrease the CO2 contribution of non-ride petrol and diesel powertrains to now no longer entirely observe NVES, however also to handle sizzling combustion Audi Sport units on sale for longer.

Learn extra detail about Audi Australia’s unique hybrid approach here.

Audi Australia has long occupied a pricing ‘candy location’ between its key German opponents at the increased cessation and different top rate marques fancy Volvo, Lexus and further lately Genesis at the decrease cessation.

The marque acknowledges that it also has the specter of most modern Chinese language luxury brands fancy Zeekr and IM Motor on its radar—and whereas it obtained’t adjust its provide too a ways downward to compete with the China location, this might maybe perchance presumably handle brilliant entry prices.

“We contain an inner approach [regarding] our location within the Australian market that affords foremost buyer charge, and every so many times that does reach down to a worth point that is lower than our German counterparts,” head of product Matt Dale educated Chasing Vehicles.

“It is in most cases the charge now we contain imbued within the cars. We hear to buyer feedback [and have added] over $10,000 [of features] within the entry Q5,” mentioned Dale of the unique Q5 TFSI 150kW entrance-wheel pressure entry grade that prices $7600 extra than the outdated 35 TDI proceed model.

In accordance to overall buyer orders and feedback, items fancy S Line exterior accomplish, matrix LED headlights, a increased-quality stereo, 360-diploma parking digicam, and a sliding/reclining rear seat had been made usual for the unique-generation’s $81,000 + ORCs entry point.

The Q5 handily undercuts listing pricing of the BMW X3 (from $86,800 + ORCs) and Mercedes-Benz GLC (from $89,000 + ORCs), though choices from various legacy brands fancy the Volvo XC60 (from $74,990 + ORCs) and Lexus NX (from $71,700 + ORCs) can aloof be had for less.

More Q5 powertrains are on the reach, along side a turbo petrol/all-wheel pressure model and a PHEV. As with the unique A5 sedan/wagon lineup, the circa-200kW petrol and 270kW PHEV can also very successfully be priced equivalently as share of a deliberate approach to coax extra Aussies into low-CO2 PHEVs.

“Love BEVs, PHEVs contain improved,” mentioned product supervisor Peter Strudwicke. “Their batteries are getting larger…and the worth jump [from petrol] doesn’t must be as spacious as it became as soon as, as confirmed with the A5.”

On the head cessation of the Q5 differ, Audi Australia has adopted the precedent location with the liberate of primarily the most modern A5/S5 sedan/wagon differ by providing a critically more cost effective SQ5 excessive-performance SUV variant alongside a ‘beefy-fat’ model priced at $122,400 + ORCs.

Despite aloof packing a 270kW/550Nm soft-hybrid 3.0-litre petrol V6 engine, the SQ5 Edition One ($106,400 + ORCs) dramatically undercuts the BMW X3 M50 and Mercedes-AMG GLC43.

Dale says this is but any other manifestation of Audi Australia’s inner “S model approach”.

“Possibilities can catch the S model performance at a extraordinarily, very spicy worth point. If you be taught about at our two various foremost opponents…there isn’t any various product that affords this amount of performance, efficiency and equipment at that worth,” Dale mentioned.

While the established luxury brands contain most of Audi’s competitor planning time, impress director Jeff Mannering says upcoming Chinese language brands now ingredient into the evaluation.

“We aloof be taught about at our two or three well-known opponents, however it is generally at the support of our tips and we know the luxurious diploma of these [Chinese] brands are coming. We must design definite that our equipment and technology within the cars is moral. It is in most cases about the buyer ride,” mentioned Mannering.