Audi Korea to offer 40 percent price cut on A3

Audi Korea plans to offer a roughly 40 percent markdown on its A3 low-emission diesel compact sedan to comply with low-emission vehicle sales regulated under South Korean law, the company said Wednesday.

Some 3,000 units of model year 2018 A3 vehicles will be sold between 23.7 million won ($21,000) and 26.1 million won, equivalent to the price range of Hyundai’s Avante compact car.

The official price range of the new compact sedan is 39.5 million won to 43.5 million won.

“The exact discount rate has not yet been finalized, but it will be around 40 percent,” said a spokesperson for Audi Korea.

According to a law on improving air quality in capital regions revised in 2013, automakers that sell over 4,500 units per year are obligated to make up 9.5 percent of sales with pure electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles and low-emission vehicles. Those that do not comply are fined 5 million won.

The A3 sedan is Audi Korea’s only model that has been authorized as a low-emissions vehicle.

With aims to sell 15,000 units this year, Audi Korea resumed sales here in April and sold 5,011 units of the A6 sedan and R8 sports car between April and June, the company said. 

By Kim Bo-gyung (lisakim425@heraldcorp.com)