Audi Volkswagen Korea has been pulling up the new calendar year prices for three consecutive years, and for the year of 2014 they apparently have raised prices by the way of changing model names, or stealthily inflated them in advance of pulling down later in a few months. Their rationale is apparently the change of car options or import price hikes, but actually for the same period other brands have been lowering down prices, and so it seems not so much convincing.

AutoDaily’s observation on Audi Volkswagen Korea’s pricing for their top-selling models uncovered some sour cases, such like hiking prices without any specific reasons, or manipulating prices to disguise their uptick.

In fact, Audi raised the price of best-seller A6 2.0 TDI in July by 300 thousand won. Its tag price of 58.5 million won was pulled up to 58.8 million in spite of zeroing import tariff from 1.6% under the Korea-EU Free Trade Agreement. And in November, one month before the Individual Consumption Tax cut, the tag was changed again, with no apparent reasons, to 59.1 million, up 300 thousand won.

The best-selling model A6 3.0 TDI quattro up to November this year, registering 3,459 units, was also adjusted to 73.1 million won last July, up 1.2 million won. It was well tuned with the change of model names for applying Dynamic Badge, and so the new model names were for price hikes while all the existing model names kept at the same prices.

It’s in tandem with Volkswagen. Up to November this year, their mainstay Golf 2.0 TDI registered 4,754 unit sales, whose price tag stood at 33.4 million won in the beginning of the year, and the nullification of import tariffs in July might not be the rationale to raise its price by 300 thousand won well before in May, as it was lowered down again by the same amount, keeping flat the price.

The best-selling Tiguan 2.0 TDI, showing 7,061 unit sales up to November this year, was another case of price hike in spite of the factor to prune the price. The year-beginning price 38.3 million won was lifted to 38.6 million in May, and after tariff elimination it was down to 38.4 million won.

An anonymous dealer said that “It is out of sense to raise the price despite tariff elimination and tax cut.” and “The sales outlets are in difficulties to persuade consumers on the reason of incomprehensible price hikes in order to be in line with other brands who are lowering down prices.”

In the meanwhile, Audi Volkswagen Korea is scheduled to raise the prices once again in the upcoming January, and they said that “The head office’s policy on price hike will be definitely adopted” despite the reduction of Individual Consumption Tax.