Cars are fun, and fun cars are even more fun, but trying to buy a new car can be the exact opposite of an enjoyable experience. From not offering test drives without a completed credit application to slapping absurd markups on new models, certain dealer tactics leave a bad taste in everyone’s mouth, and here’s what feels like a new one. A dealer has listed a brand new Audi RS6 Avant GT for auction on Bring A Trailer, and it could set a precedent that’s not great for people looking to get into a desirable new car.
The Audi RS6 Avant Performance is already one of the most potent wagons in the world, a 621-horsepower all-wheel-drive cruise missile with space for your family, luggage, and dog. Remove your four-legged friend before flight, and this ultrawagon will burst from zero-to-60 mph in 3.3 seconds on its way to a date with the local constabulary, yet for some people, that isn’t enough.
That’s why Audi took an RS6 Performance, fiddled with the rear differential, stiffened up the suspension, optimized the cooling, stripped out some weight, added carbon ceramic brakes, and created the delightfully unsubtle RS6 Avant GT. Only 660 of these stickered-up sharpened machines will ever be made, with a mere 85 making it to America. It’s one of those cars that seems like a collector’s item from day one, which might explain why an Audi dealer is selling a brand-new example on Bring A Trailer.
Yes, a brand new Audi RS6 Avant GT went live for auction on Bring A Trailer earlier this week, and it’s being listed by Audi Calabasas. Not a private flipper, not a second-hand dealer who managed to order one and is reselling it with delivery mileage, an actual brand-new car that hasn’t even been registered yet.
Make no mistake, this is as sell-to-the-high-bidder as it gets, a way of potentially fetching as far of a price above MSRP as possible. In theory, manufacturers set suggested prices to level the playing field, hoping that customers all over will pay the same price for identical examples of a car. Unfortunately, practice indicates that if dealerships think they can fetch more than the automaker’s figure, they’ll try to juice the market for all it’s worth. As such, listing a brand-new car on Bring A Trailer is in bad taste, moving the concept of a market adjustment from a private shame to a public competition, and could embolden other dealers to do the same.
[Ed Note: I’m just chiming in a bit late here after this went up. I think this — and other new cars sold by dealerships on Bring a Trailer — is mostly fine? I get that it’s weird to see new cars like this on a website that has been about cool old collectibles, but the usual “market adjustments” are no better than an auction like this in my view. I will admit that, it’s true that such a public auction could have an impact on markups nationwide, which is an interesting concept. -DT].Â
At the same time, this strategy could backfire, or at least be anticlimactic. This Audi RS6 Avant GT carries a sticker price of $201,495, including freight fees and gas guzzler tax, and while the current high bid stands at $193,995 with five days to go on the auction, that’s been the only bid anywhere near sticker price so far. If this special RS6 doesn’t attract more interested bidders, it might not meet reserve, and then the whole strategy will fall apart.
Whatever happens, this auction is important because it sets the bar for what a new Audi RS6 Avant GT is actually worth, meaning what real people are willing to pay for it in the current climate. Those last words are key, as other dealer markups may play a role if the final hammer price if it goes for over MSRP. Regardless, I’m sure we’re all thinking the same thing: can’t a dealer actually sell a special car at MSRP for once?
Top graphic image: Bring A Trailer
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Well, speaking of the reserve, since BaT sets the reserve with input from the seller, how do they decide what the reserve should be on such a limited edition car? Would they let the dealer set it above MSRP?
I could see why (much wealthier than me) people would want to collect this. I love the exterior, but the interior is so screen-tastic.
This is a car built for posers and I hate it so much I made this infographic:
https://i.imgur.com/g6pG5Sm.png
I was waffling between the two, but point #7 really seals the deal
I think the logical conclusion, and the wave of the future, is that ALL cars – new or used – should be sold by auction. Let the market and buyers decide what price they will bear and pay.
More money than good judgment is the primary requirement for these kinds of purchases. Real people are nowhere near affording vehicles like this.
BaT has been allowing this for a number of years. I made a comment about this on a new 2024 Toyota GR Supra 45th Anniversary Edition that was listed in April of 2024. The car which was also listed on the Toyota dealer’s website. The final bid was higher than the Monroney sticker but it did not sell which makes me wonder how much profit the dealer wanted to make. I love BaT and I hope it never goes away, but they are certainly becoming more and more like Barrett Jackson every year.
Seems to follow with BaT’s apparent “we’ll list anything as long as it’s a wagon” philosophy.
I mean, live on their site right now there’s a ’67 Impala wagon, a Golf Alltrack, a might-as-well-be-new M5 wagon, a slew of various Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Volvo wagons and then of course, the cream of the crop: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1991-ford-taurus-2/
They sell to the market and wagons are hot right now. A few years ago it was all early 2000 Acuras.
The lack of is300 wagons makes me happy 🙂
Worst project car I ever bought, I’m now starting year 6 without it breaking once before I allow myself to start modifying it.
It seems to me that a lot of the people paying dealer markups see the markup as a badge of honor that tells the world, “look what I can afford”. I would think they’d be all over paying the highest markup possible on an auction in full public view just to show it off on their social medias in this look-at-me world our society has come to be.
Fingers crossed it doesn’t hit reserve
That wagon has plenty of space in the back. I’ll bet the buyer uses it to go to the laundromat. You could do a lot of laundering with it.
Say it for the people in the back. Car auctions are the new art auctions.
I don’t even blame the dealer for this behavior. Yes, it’s sleazy and distasteful, but that’s just dealers being dealers. “It’s in my nature, said the scorpion.”
But I do blame Bring A Trailer. They curate the vehicles that get sold on their site. It’s their decision whether to put up a listing, and they chose to allow it. New cars have no place on the site.
Agreed it’s on them. But unfortunately they are gonna do whatever makes them the most money.
They are a business and compete with other auction sites that do the same thing.
So here’s the thing let it hit sticker that tells the whole nation it’s not worth the mark-up.
And if anything it was a marketing idea by the sales team for said dealer. You fortunately did not list their name and that makes it better as it prevents free advertising. I think an auction is a good place to see what people will pay for something but BAT is not the place but ebay has a low class feel for this type of car.
Wish Audi would/could punish this type of behavior. Limiting future allocations or something to discourage this bullshit.
This is better than buying it direct from the dealer tbh, at least you pay what the market is willing/bidders on that day. Could get zero attention and go for a steal, or get tons of attention and go for way more than average market price. If they have shadow bidders on the auction, you’re screwed.
If it were no reserve that would be true.
I’m pretty sure that this has been happening on BaT with goofy special edition Porsches for a while now.
Listen, I love Porsches and Mustangs (obviously), but they both have WAY too many goofy special editions.