AUBURN HILLS, MI – AUDI AG sold more than 516,000 cars to customers worldwide between January
and June (2007: 508,842). This represents a gain of 1.4 percent compared with
the first six months of 2007. In June, Audi sold around 90,000 cars (2007:
88,846). The premium car brand is expecting significant growth mainly in the
second half of the year, thanks to market launches of important high-volume
models.
“In 2008
we will achieve record sales of more than 1 million cars for the first time in
our history,” said Audi Chairman Rupert Stadler. “The first half of the year
was marked by major model changes for us, yet we’re already two percent above
target.”
Sales
figures for the high-volume model lines of the Ingolstadt-based company were
marked by the introduction of new model generations and model improvements. The
next-generation Audi A4 Avant was launched throughout Europe in May; the new A4
Sedan became available in Germany at the end of 2007 and sold very well in its first months on the market.
Major
product improvements are upcoming for both the Audi A3 and the Audi A6 and will
provide further impetus for sales of Audi cars in coming months.
“We will
launch the updated Audi A3 in July. For the A4 important new engine versions in
the mid-performance range are on their way and in September sales start on the US market,”
said Peter Schwarzenbauer, member of the board of management for marketing and sales
of AUDI AG.
Later in
the year, Audi will also introduce the new Audi Q5, along with the Audi A6
product improvement. By 2015, AUDI AG wants to expand its range from currently
26 to then 40 models.
In the
first six months, Audi sales increased, in particular, in Asia-Pacific. Audi
was able to further extend its leading position in China
(including
Hong Kong).
The
markets in Eastern Europe are also showing consistently positive development,
and in the boom market of the region, Russia, Audi sales were up 19.1
percent on the corresponding period of last year. AUDI AG also recorded growing
sales in the United Kingdom,
its most important European export market.
In the US, Audi
recorded increased sales in June. With 8,203 cars, the premium car brand sold
5.3 percent more cars than in the same month last year (2007: 7,789). In total,
sales in the difficult market environment remained 1.5 percent behind last year’s
figure, with 45,024 cars sold.
Audi
expects the introduction of the high-volume A4 model in September, along with
the premier at year’s end of the TDI with ultra low emission system in the Audi
Q7, to provide important impetus for sales in the United States.