Q3 or not Q3? That is the question. Audi is weighing the merits of bringing its trendy entry level compact crossover Q3 to the U.S. market. Putting economic feasibility into the highest consideration, Audi has to guarantee the Q3′s success by determining the size of its demand and price sensibility. Audi North America CEO Johan de Nysschen stresses Q3′s MSRP must be low enough to entice buyers yet high enough to gain profits.
An unusual detail for an automaker to stall upon, Audi is currently executing a strategic front to gain a stronger market share in the upper luxury segments, notably for the A6, A7, and A8. Perhaps reluctance to throw the Q3 into the mix may in part be an entry model’s conflict to a premium image.
Moreover, BMW has delayed bringing its X1 crossover to the U.S. market as well. An Audi Q3 competitor, the X1 may be reconsidered for the United States after its midlife facelift.
Other Audi models coming into the United States include the A3 sedan for 2014. A ploy to attract owners of the older, smaller B5 generation of the A4, the intelligently packaged A3 is a very attractive model as the A4 sedan grows in size after every redesign.
