About a year ago, I took a look at the top of the heap for Audis in the early 2000s – the A8 W12.
With a sticker price of roughly $120,000, they were about five times more expensive than an A4 1.8T quattro. For that, you got more room, more luxury, and more power – 450 horsepower, to be exact. Standard luxuries were also impressive; Audi’s MMI system, 16-way power front seats trimmed in Valcona leather upholstery and equipped with massage elements and ventilation, a rear-seat DVD entertainment system, Bose surround sound, polished wood trim, powered rear side window shades, heated front and rear seats…essentially, this was a Swiss ski resort that could move pretty quickly – to the Swiss ski resort. Today’s car also had some pricey options; the $2k adaptive cruise control system, 20″ wheels, a solar sunroof, and a special interior and full leather upgrade.
Last year’s example came to market with 60k miles and a $68k asking price – pretty hard to justify in my mind. Today’s car? Well, let’s say it’s been well used, but it still looks good. What does the high-mileage discount equate to?