Audi Aims to Ascend the Luxury Hierarchy Without Treading on Bentley's Ground | Carscoops

      Luxurious vehicles like the Grandsphere and Urbansphere Concepts may lead to new production models.

      Audi aims to enhance its customers' premium experience.

      A long-anticipated successor to the A8 has been in development for several years.

      Former competitor Jaguar is also looking to move upmarket in the future.

      Although a brand new Audi may still be unattainable for many car buyers, the automaker seems intent on advancing further up the luxury scale. However, don’t get too excited about Audi going head-to-head with Bentley; the brand plans to introduce a new tier of ultra-luxurious vehicles—but not quite that lavish. Consider replacements for the existing A8 and Q7/Q8 SUVs, but perhaps not yet the pinnacle of luxury.

      In a recent conversation with Auto Express, Audi UK head Jose Miguel Aparicio stated the company is “increasing the prestige, desirability, and perception of the brand,” and emphasized that moving forward, it is “more focused on the quality of business than the quantity.”

      While he did not indicate which new models could elevate Audi into a new luxury class, there is considerable anticipation for the elegant Grandsphere sedan concept and the spacious Urbansphere SUV to reach production.

      Aparicio further described Audi’s strategic change following the introduction of their new A6, Q5, and Q6 models.

      “We are significantly raising the price center as we become more present in these sectors; the number of customers we aim to attract in the C and D segments is growing,” he explained. “This indicates a notable price increase, and to execute this successfully, we need to foster brand appeal and desire. Key to this is product innovation, but we also must deliver a premium customer experience; we are discussing an evolution, a move upwards,” Aparicio added.

      A once-competitive British brand against Audi, Jaguar, is undergoing a substantial transformation aimed at increasing its market presence. However, while Jaguar seeks to compete directly with Bentley, Audi intends to avoid overlapping with its VW Group sibling. Aparicio noted that there’s sufficient space between the VW and Bentley brands to allow Audi to introduce more premium and luxurious offerings.

      “That signifies a considerable price increase, and for us to succeed, we must cultivate brand appeal and desire,” he remarked to the British outlet. “The essence for this is product innovation, and we must also deliver a premium customer experience; we’re discussing an evolution, a move upwards.”

      The Upcoming Audi A8

      The current Audi A8 has been in existence since late 2017 but is expected to be succeeded by an all-electric sedan inspired by the 2021 Grandsphere concept. This model was slated to debut in 2024, but Audi is believed to have prolonged the life of the existing model due to strong sales, especially in China. Consequently, the Grandsphere might not be launched for several more years.