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Greatest Price Difference Between a Base Model and the Top of the Range Vehicle Model
It used to be the case that the price difference between an entry level and the top of the range model was around 50 percent. These days, some manufacturers have expanded their range so much and added so many 'special editions', the price difference can be massive.
Typical Price Difference for Mainstream Vehicles
First we look at two mainstream vehicles to see what the typical price difference is for a mass market vehicle. The percentage figure is derived by comparing the price of the top model as a percentage of the base model.
Example: £33.1k / £18.1k * 100 = 176%
| Base Model | Price | Top Model | Price | Difference | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vauxhall Insignia | £18.8k | Insignia VXR | £33.1k | £14.3k | 176% |
| Ford Focus | £17.87k | Focus RS | £27.57k | £9.7k | 154% |
At
154% and 176%, the price differential is surprisingly
large for these mainstream models. This is due to
the fact that, like a number of other manufacturers,
both Ford and Vauxhall have added a sports version
across their range, the RS and the VXR.
We now take a look which models have the largest price gap between the base model and the most expensive model.
Criteria for Inclusion
- Both the base and the top model should share the same body/chassis
- Prices are in UK pounds (rounded up) with no additional options fitted
- Special 'marketing' editions that have never sold in any significant numbers are not included. eg. Tata Nano DG490 at almost 10 times more than the base model
| Base Model | Price | Top Model | Price | Difference | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes SL300 | £62k | SL65 AMG Black | £250k | £188k | 403% |
| Mitsubishi Lancer | £13k | Evo X FQ400 | £52k | £39k | 400% |
| Renault Clio | £8k | Clio V6 | £26k | £18k | 325% |
| Caterham 7 Classic Kit | £13k | CSR* | £42.9k | £29.1k | 323% |
| Mercedes S Class | £52k | S65 AMG | £153k | £101k | 294% |
| Audi A6 | £28k | RS6 | £76k | £48k | 271% |
| Audi Q7 | £40k | V12 TDI | £98k | £58k | 245% |
| Porsche 997 C2 | £64k | 997 Sport Classic | £140k | £76k | 218% |
Mercedes SL Tops the List Thanks to AMG Supercar
Mercedes
comes out top of our list, thanks to their AMG sports
car division. Their SL range starts with an underpowered,
yet expensive £62k coupe with a meagre 230
bhp on tap and ends with a true supercar, the SL65
AMG Black Series.
This monster of a car could not be further away from the SL300, boasting a 6 litre V12 biturbo engine, the 'Black' produces 661 bhp and is priced at a cool quarter of a million pounds!
* the Caterham Levante at £102k is excluded from this list, as this is a special vehicle, which is no longer available from Caterham
