Where is the Audi A5 manufactured?

Anchundan · 23 Jun 2010 at 13:45

I'm trying to find out where the A5 (specifically the cabriolet) is manufactured. And whether the left-hand-drive version is manufactured in the same location as the right-hand-drive version.

The reason is, I wish to import an A5 cabriolet to China, as the price of the A5 cabriolet out here in China is almost double that in UK. The cost to ship the car is less than £1000, and being a foreigner in China, I don't have to pay the import charges (or, they are considerably less).

However, although I can fully spec my options on the UK Audi website, I can't seem to get the options I want on the European Audi websites. Also, the Audi A5 cabriolet is much more expensive in Europe. The cheapest place to buy it seems to be UK.

So, my current thought is, if both the LHD and RHD cars are made in the same place, it should be possible to order a LHD car with my chosen specifications from a dealer in UK. I guess.

Fr0dders · 23 Jun 2010 at 13:48

They are all made at Ingolstadt i believe

http://www.audi.com/com/brand/en/company/production_plants/ingolstadt.html

Anchundan · 23 Jun 2010 at 13:58

Thanks, that's promising.

I wonder how much more a UK dealer will charge to order a LHD car.

Fr0dders · 23 Jun 2010 at 13:59

10/15 years ago this was the reverse

European cars were much much cheaper Abroad and brits were travelling to Holland, germany etc.. to order right hand drive cars abroad.

Now the reverse is true, and we're the cheapest in europe, you should be able to do it, as the EU made it illegal for car manufacturers to stop this from happenning.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/british-car-prices-dearest-in-europe-1249454.html

Slackworth · 23 Jun 2010 at 14:00

£500 is what Audi UK charge for a LHD I believe.

Fr0dders · 23 Jun 2010 at 14:02

thats not at all unreasonable

get down to your local audi dealer i reckon and start bartering.

Jonnycoupe · 23 Jun 2010 at 14:06

MrLOL said:
thats not at all unreasonable

get down to your local audi dealer i reckon and start bartering.

Import and China were two key parts of his query

[TW]Fox · 23 Jun 2010 at 14:19

You must really badly want an A5 to go to all this hassle. Wouldn't have thought its worth the bother.

Deleted User 234324 · 23 Jun 2010 at 14:20

Christ something that china dont actually make \o/

taximike · 23 Jun 2010 at 14:54

Probably even cheaper in the USA mate - that and the standard spec is always higher!

Fr0dders · 23 Jun 2010 at 15:14

taximike said:
Probably even cheaper in the USA mate - that and the standard spec is always higher!

base spec A5 in the US is $36,000
base spec A5 in the UK is £25,325

assuming a direct conversion of around 1.42 (current best exchange rate) that would put the US price at ... $35,961.50

so almost exactly the same.

[TW]Fox · 23 Jun 2010 at 15:19

Isn't a base spec A5 a better model in the US?

Where did your 'best' exchange rate come from as It's 1.4875 right now.

taximike · 23 Jun 2010 at 16:13

MrLOL said:
base spec A5 in the US is $36,000
base spec A5 in the UK is £25,325

assuming a direct conversion of around 1.42 (current best exchange rate) that would put the US price at ... $35,961.50

so almost exactly the same.

He'll be paying in Yuan I assume - hence any spread on the exchange rate (that I assume you're building in there when quoting 1.42) is not relevant for comparison purposes. He'll pay a similar spread whether he buys in GBP or USD - so to compare use the midmarket interbank rates on xe.com today....

Like for like models - 2.0TFSI here (the base spec in the USA) is around £28k + VAT, which is about $42k. Then consider the fact that the US model will have leather, already be LHD etc, few more standard toys etc. Also the other advantage of buying in the USA is dealers tend to operate on a totally different business model over there. They carry big stocks so if you want that LHD car on a boat tomorrow they'll be able to do it for you. Rather than waiting 6 months for a dealer in the UK to order a LHD one!

EddScott · 23 Jun 2010 at 16:24

My godmother has just bought one. She originally ordered a white cab with red leather and a red hood - although at 60 you would think she'd fancy something a little more understated. After I commented that she would be often mistaken for a pimp, dealer, aging porn star she went for the crystal grey colour and black interior.

Does nothing for me.

Disco Boy · 23 Jun 2010 at 18:03

EddScott said:
My godmother has just bought one. She originally ordered a white cab with red leather and a red hood - although at 60 you would think she'd fancy something a little more understated. After I commented that she would be often mistaken for a pimp, dealer, aging porn star she went for the crystal grey colour and black interior.

Does nothing for me.

So she was actually going to get an interesting colour scheme and you made her go for a grey car with a black interior like everyone else? Go you.

[TW]Fox · 23 Jun 2010 at 18:05

Disco Boy said:
So she was actually going to get an interesting colour scheme and you made her go for a grey car with a black interior like everyone else? Go you.

Yea I thought that, seems a bit pathetic really. Why do people have to force dull tastes on others?

DM · 23 Jun 2010 at 18:06

Disco Boy said:
So she was actually going to get an interesting colour scheme and you made her go for a grey car with a black interior like everyone else? Go you.

She's 60 and was just about to enter pimp my ride, i think he saved her.

Pete19s · 23 Jun 2010 at 18:09

DiamondMark said:
She's 60 and was just about to enter pimp my ride, i think he saved her.

Who cares? Surely if she spec'd it then she liked it which given that its her car as all that matters.

DM · 23 Jun 2010 at 18:11

Pete19s said:
Who cares? Surely if she spec'd it then she liked it which given that its her car as all that matters.

Keep calm im just putting my 10p worth in, i like conservative colours and so will she when she comes to sell it.

K.C. Leblanc · 23 Jun 2010 at 18:12

Pete19s said:
Who cares? Surely if she spec'd it then she liked it which given that its her car as all that matters.

It could be worse, I know of one senior lady who's a fan of the Suzuki Wagon R/Splash. When they stopped making them in purple she started having them resprayed.