Bada Bing

The headline doesn't sound very good in the face of declining A6 sales but the 2009 model apparently has some increased content to justify the price hike (moonroof, bluetooth, iPod interface, heated front seats,etc.)

I am interested to know what the three different trim levels have to offer and what the price differential between them is. 50 grand as the base price of a 3.0T Premium seems quite steep. It wasn't too long ago that the base price of the 4.2 V8 was below 50 grand. Now that model starts at over 60 grand.<ul><li><a href="http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=138373">Edmunds.com Inside Line: 2009 A6 price hike</a></li></ul>

Audi S5 TC

In the rest of the world (Africa, Asia, Australia and especially Europe and most of all, Germany; unfortunately, I know absolutely nothing about the South American vehicle market, but there is probably-but absolutely NOT definitely-not much or nothing to know about the South American vehicle market anyway), A6/China and Hong Kong only A6L/AllRoad/China and Hong Kong only AllRoad L/S6/RS sales as well as sales of all other Audi models increase every year, all every year since 1997, especially with the C6 (which is 2005 to present for the A6, 2006 to present for the AllRoad, China and Hong Kong only A6L and China and Hong Kong only AllRoad L, 2007 to present for the S6 and 2008 to present for the RS 6).

FWIW, with the exception of the 3 Series and possibly the X3 and X5, sales of most or all BMWs have been declining every year since 2006 (even in North America but much more so in the rest of the world, especially Europe and most of all, Germany). With fuel prices being the way that they are (though they have come down significantly over the last three or so months; unfortunately, fuel prices are most likely going to rise again sometime soon and by a large, maybe even significant amount), X3 and X5 sales (if there not suffering yet; unfortunately, I know absolutely nothing about the most current X3 and X5 sales) as well as X6 sales (if X6 sales are not suffering already; I know absolutely nothing about X6 sales, unfortunately ) will, 1,000,000-1 to 1,000,000,000-1, will suffer more than all BMW models.

All of the above is based on the following: what BMW Roadfly and AudiWorld members from all around the world have said what BMW AG, Audi AG and other BMW Audi importers have said.

AofC_RR

You have to get a fully loaded A6 or Q7 just to get Xenons now. Seriously how dumb is that? You have to drop nearly 60k to get Xenons! The trim level thing works ok on the A4. But the fact you can't get premium audio without spending over 40k is again ridiculous. I miss the old flexibility. Maybe Audi wants to bring me into corporate.....

BMWBig6

Agreed, some of the feature bundling in the trim packages is baffling (for both A6 and A4)

AutoUnionQ7

they're probably doing it to make ordering/finding a car easier

4Driver4

VAG always strips off or "optionizes" standard features as model years pass.

BMWBig6

Got an example of this practice? (just curious)

SloopJohnB@mac.com

M3 Sedan is around $53K....LOL. 414 HP V8...interior not as nice as A6.