Cables Electronics Corporation has developed a new instrument$-$model XG$-75-$that has been designed to outperform a competitor's best$-$selling instrument. Model XG$-75$ has a useful life of $46,000$ hours of service and its operating cost is $$2\mathrm{.}80$ per hour. In contrast, the competitor's product has a useful life of $23,000$ hours of service and has operating costs that average $$5\mathrm{.}40$ per hour. The competitor's instrument sells for $$160,000.$ Cables has not yet established a selling price for model XG$-75.$

From a value$-$based pricing standpoint what is the reference value that Cables should consider when pricing model XG$-75?$

Multiple Choice

$$284,200$

$$279,600$

$$344,000$

$$160,000$