It's the end of the road for Audi's European delivery option for buyers in the United States. Autoblog first reported last Friday the program came to an end with the conclusion of 2018.
Motor Authority reached out to Audi for confirmation on the program's end and a spokesperson told us, "Due to recent changes in the distribution process and the manufacturing of key Audi models outside Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm, Audi AG has decided to end its European Delivery program for U.S. customers at the conclusion of 2018. As our product offerings continue to grow, we’re excited to find new and innovative ways to delight our customers and deliver the Audi experience they have come to expect.”
Audi began its European delivery option for U.S. buyers in 2006 and baked in a one-night hotel stay in the German cities of Ingolstadt or Neckarsulm, depending on which model a customer ordered. The option also included ground transportation, breakfast and lunch on delivery day, and a tour of the factory where the buyer's car was built. Audi also provided 15 days of insurance for buyers to roam about Europe in his or her new car. At the end of the trip, the car was shipped back to a local dealership in the U.S. where the buyer would be able to pick up the vehicle in a few weeks.
The option was basically a neat European vacation spent in an owner's new Audi, and it will surely be missed.
It's unclear what kind of take rate the option had, but it surely was monumental for the customers who checked the box when they ordered a new Audi. It was likely rather costly for the brand, too.
Now, buyers will have to make do with whatever ceremony their local dealership puts on when taking delivery of their new cars.