Audi R8
Introduction
The product I have chosen to explore is Audi’s R8 model. It is a luxury car whose price starts at $134,000.00 and has many customizable options that rise the prize to almost $200,000.00 (1). Audi’s history dates back to 1910, it was established by a man named August Horch after he left his job working for Carl Benz.(2) In 1932 four major German automakers merged, they were August Horch & Cie, Audi Automobilewerke, Wanderer, and DKW.(2) These companies forged an alliance and focused on various segments of the European Automobile industry. The company was not officially know as Audi until March 1977. (2) In the year 2010 Audi sold 14,333 vehicles in Canada across their 43 locations. (3) The Audi R8 mades its debut at the 2006 Paris Motor Show, it featured a 4.2 litre direct-injected V8 engine. (4) It had two doors and a rear engine, a style matching it’s race type car brothers. Before it was debuted it won several awards on the race track, including its five victories at the 24 hour race “Le Mans” in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005. (4) Exocticcar.about.com said "It was as if Audi took its rounded, sloping silhouette and pumped it full of steroids.” (4)
Swot Analysis
Strengths:
Powerful racing class engine: People who buy sports cars are looking for high performance to satisfy their need for speed. The Audi R8’s V10 provides this fix with its ability to go from 0-60mph in 3.7 seconds.(10) Audi has a history in racing and has proved itself on the track countless times. The R8 was designed with sped in mind which is a huge attracting point to a huge market of people who want to drive fast.
Strong Brand Image: Audi won a number of rewards in 2012 reenforcing a strong brand image for the company. (11) According to Audi’s 2010 corporate strategy they feel that "a strong brand and a positive image are key success factors for a premium manufacturer” (11) Audi executives do not focus solely on sales but instead...