Kelley Blue Book: Audi Saves Buyers Beyond Their Initial Purchase

NASHUA, N.H. (02/29/2012)(readMedia)-- Buying any luxury vehicle is an investment, but according to Kelley Blue Book, no other luxury brand provides more of a return on that investment in the long term than Audi. The automaker was recently named Best Luxury Brand in the 2012 Kelley Blue Book Total Cost of Ownership Awards, which found that vehicles from Audi dealerships have the lowest running costs among luxury brands.

Kelley Blue Book's inaugural Total Cost of Ownership Awards pulled together vehicle information like fair purchase price, projected depreciation, fuel costs, insurance and financing costs, maintenance and repair bills, and state fees. Audi was found to have the lowest projected costs of all luxury brands for the initial five years of ownership, beating out even those that provide free scheduled maintenance. Kelley Blue Book credited the 2012 Audi A4, A3 and Q5 with pushing Audi to the top of the luxury-brand list.

"Good value isn't a phrase that's typically used in marketing campaigns for luxury cars, but the fact is that luxury-car buyers don't like wasting money any more than the next person," said Larry Bedell, general manager of New Hampshire Audi dealership Audi of Nashua. "High quality and low ownership costs go hand-in-hand, so it's no surprise to see Audi leading the luxury pack in the Kelley Blue Book study."

Proving that there is value at both ends of Audi's lineup, Kelley Blue Book awarded both the sleek Audi A5 and Audi Q7 SUV with individual wins in the Luxury Car and Luxury Sport Utility segments, respectively. Though the 2012 Audi A5 and Audi Q7 are geared to different types of drivers, they both finished at the top of their segments as a result of their strong residual values, in addition to the A5's lower insurance costs and the Q7's lower fuel costs.

Audi's A5 is available as a Coupe or Cabriolet model, with the automaker's quattro all-wheel-drive system coming standard on the Coupe and as an option on the Cabriolet. Power comes from a direct-injected turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 211 horsepower while returning up to 31 mpg on the highway in the Coupe with the manual gearbox.

Meanwhile, the muscular Q7, despite its size, can return up to 25 mpg on the highway with the optional TDI diesel engine. The 3.0-liter diesel produces 225 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque, providing solid performance and a towing capacity of up to 6,600 pounds. Meanwhile, the standard supercharged V6 powerplant returns 22 mpg on the highway while producing 280 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque.

"Reliability, power and efficiency are core values of the Audi brand, and they are well represented by the A5 and Q7," Bedell noted. "Adding low ownership costs to that equation really makes those vehicles tough to beat when you compare them side-by-side with their competition."

About Audi of Nashua:

A four-time winner of Audi's prestigious Magna award, Audi of Nashua invites those in search of the world's finest vehicles to explore its inventory of new and used Audi cars for sale. New Hampshire Audi owners will also find a complete selection of Audi parts and accessories, as well as expert Audi service from factory-trained technicians. Discover the quality, performance and engineering that make every Audi special by checking their inventory at www.audinashua.com, liking them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/audiofnashua, or calling their dealership, located at 170 Main Dunstable Road in Nashua, N.H., at 603-578-3744.