Audi Plans Market-specific Six Figure Special Edition Q7

Audi Q7

Audi Q7

Audi Q7

Audi is aiming to topple BMW to become the world's largest luxury carmaker by 2015; part of its master plan is to offer more market-specific special editions around the world. Hitting dealerships in Russia and the United Arab Emerites later this year will be limited-edition versions of the Q7 sport-utility and R8 sports car -- both retailing for six-figure prices.

The first of the German automaker's special editions will be a turbo-diesel V-12-powered Q7 coated in two-tone phantom black and black velvet paint, only 555 of which will be made. Starting next month, wealthy Russian buyers will be able to pick one up at a price of €200,000 (around $285,000) -- more than twice the base price for a Q7 there.

Available in June is the R8 V-10 Pure Sport. Only 40 of the special R8s will be produced, each wearing a price tag of $136,000; it will be available in the United Arab Emirates and nowhere else. Audi is also considering a special edition R8 for the U.K. market as well.

Audi is hoping to make customer-ordered and limited run vehicles account for 20 percent of its sales by 2015; such vehicles were 5.4 percent of the carmaker's sales in 2009, but have already risen to about 10 percent last year. Right now, buyers in all markets can choose non-standard colors, fabrics, and custom interiors through Audi's "Exclusive" program.