IN SALALAH, OMAN, where Audi flew us to drive the new RS3 sedan, we’re told that a good camel can cost $10,000. This part of the Gulf is famous for the breeding of dromedaries, and it draws Bedouin tribesmen from hundreds of miles away to barter and trade these desert schooners. Of course, there are plenty of bad camels, too, the worst of which will set you back less than $500 worth of Omani rial. But as our guide, Khush, assures us, you definitely don’t want one of the bad camels.
Quality carries a premium, of course, and the lesson holds true in compact sedans as much as even-toed ungulates. In the unlikely event a Bedouin decides he wants to trade his way into an RS3, the smallest of the…