9:09 am, March 13, 2024
Audi dealers say the brand will be delaying the introduction of fixed price, no haggle car sales for all of its EVs.
Sources say the brand was due to bring in ‘agency sales’ for its entire electric range at the end of April, but its dealers have been told this is now being quietly pushed back.
Audi will be the latest brand to stall the introduction of agency sales after Jaguar Land Rover canned the project completely two weeks ago, and Stellantis said in December it would be delaying the move until ‘at least the end of 2026’.
Audi partners told Car Dealer that the brand was set to move to the fixed price, no haggle sales option, where customers buy their cars online from the manufacturer’s website, at the end of next month for its entire EV range including the Q4 e-tron, e-tron GT and Q8 e-tron.
In a statement to Car Dealer, Audi said it would be moving to the agency model ‘three months earlier than originally envisaged’ and will start with sales of the new Q6 e-tron.
That model is due later this year but will be available to order from the end of April via the manufacturer’s website. Audi did not mention pushing back the sale of its other electric models via the agency model, as was planned.
A spokesperson for Volkswagen Group said: ‘Following the successful introduction of an agency model for the sale of electric vehicles to private consumers in the UK by the Cupra, Skoda and Volkswagen brands, Audi will adopt the same model from April 2024, three months earlier than originally envisaged.
‘The transition will begin with the introduction of the new Audi Q6 e-tron, and then be extended to other electric vehicles progressively and aligned with Audi’s new model offensive over the coming year.’
Dealers told Car Dealer privately that this was essentially ‘kicking the can down the road’ and a ‘definite delay’ to the manufacturer’s original plans to sell all electric Audis this way by next month.
Talk at the Milton Keynes head office about what to do about agency sales is said to have been rife since premium rival Jaguar Land Rover axed its move to the model, originally due to come into force later this year.
However, JLR consulted with its dealer partners who backed a u-turn and praised the manufacturer for listening to its franchise partners.
JLR told its retailers it will still be selling cars online but will be continuing with a traditional franchise model too.
In a statement, JLR said: ‘A relentless pursuit of excellence has delivered opportunity for JLR to design its own unique retail model – a client-centric retail experience that offers the underpinnings of the traditional franchise model, with key adaptations to accommodate the changing demands of JLR’s discerning clientele.’
All eyes in the car dealer world are now focussed on what the VW Group plans to do next with its agency sales models. Off the record conversations with its car dealer partners reveal the model ‘is not really working’ and they suspect it will be adapted in the near future.
Car Dealer has contacted the car maker for further comment.
