Audi of America announced today auto sales for the month of August totaling 6,406, a decrease of 16% from last year’s figures. Despite strong economic headwinds, Audi new vehicle sales in the U.S. are down just 3.7% year-to-date. Audi Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) sales continued to grow with another record-setting month; compared with last year’s August figures, CPO sales rose to 2,841 units, up 20.8%.
“We have a strong portfolio of all-new models which has helped sustain interest in Audi and drive showroom traffic through this otherwise tough period,” said Johan de Nysschen, executive vice president, Audi of America. “Our Audi dealers were so successful in selling down our 2008 model year A4s that our inventory came up a bit short to satisfy consumer demand. The all-new 2009 model year A4 vehicles are arriving now. Based on sold orders and consumer interest through our website and at local dealer launch events, we expect strong demand for this segment-leading sedan, and excellent sales for September.”
The Audi 2009 A4 models are arriving in dealer showrooms now and are all-new. Based on government data and independent test results, the 2009 A4 2.0T leads its key competitors in fuel economy and 0-to-60 miles per hour acceleration.
Nationwide, several Audi models sold well. The Audi A6 model line sales increased significantly, up 88.4% over last August. Dealers recorded a record sales month for the all-new A5 due to improved availability, with 718 units sold. In addition, dealers in key markets noted strong sales, including the greater Atlanta and Los Angeles metropolitan areas and the Pacific Southwest region.
Audi continues to impress industry analysts and other third-party industry watchers. J.D. Power and Associates, the respected industry organization that measures, among other things, quality within the auto industry, recently noted that Audi posted the greatest ranking improvement in initial quality during the 2008 J.D. Power Initial Quality Survey. The Audi Q7, A3, A4 and A6 have also been recognized by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) as Top Safety Picks in 2008, earning Audi the most Top Safety Pick designations for 2008 models of any luxury automaker this year.