AUDI AG Starts in 2008 with Strong Sales Results

AUDI AG successfully increased its worldwide sales by 4.7 percent in January, handing over a total of approximately 78,700 cars to customers. The brand registered rising sales in Europe and America as well as in the growth regions of Asia.

“The new year has gotten off to a very good start for us with these worldwide growth figures,” said Ralph Weyler, Head of Marketing and Sales at AUDI AG. “We will reach the million-car mark by the end of this year – and our new, attractive models such as the Audi A3 Cabriolet, for which orders are now being taken, the new RS 6 Avant and the Audi Q5 scheduled for launch in 2008 will additionally stimulate demand in the coming months.”

The Ingolstadt brand sold some 54,800 automobiles in Europe alone in January, an increase of 2.2 percent compared with the same month of last year (2007: 53,664). Sales in Western Europe (excluding Germany) accounted for 37,100 of these cars (up 1.6 percent; 2007: 36,549). The Ingolstadt carmaker sold 10,681 automobiles in Great Britain, the strongest market outside of Germany in January, representing a year-on-year increase of 18.6 percent (2007: 9,009).

In Audi’s home market, the carmaker registered a slight rise of 0.5 percent with 14,117 cars sold (2007: 14,044). In Germany, Audi was the proved once more in January to be the fastest growing premium brand.

In Eastern Europe, Audi increased sales by 17.3 percent to some 3,600 cars (2007: 3,071), with 907 of those sold on the Russian market (up 6.7 percent; 2007: 850). The brand also registered strong growth in Slovakia and Poland; sales climbed by 89.2 percent in Slovakia (333 cars; 2007: 176) and 29.5 percent in Poland (325 cars; 2007: 251).

In America, Audi sold approximately 8,100 cars (up 1.1 percent; 2007: 8,043), with sales on the U.S. market accounting for 6,418 of that number (up 0.3 percent; 2007: 6,399). Canada also develops into a region of strong growth for Audi. Sales were up 25.1 percent in the first month of the year to 573 cars (2007: 458).

The Asia-Pacific region, where Audi has occupied a strong position for many years, saw sales advance by 23.1 percent to some 13,300 cars (2007: 10,836). In China (including Hong Kong), where the brand is the market leader, Audi reported a 25.0 percent increase in sales, handing over 10,579 cars to customers there (2007: 8,461). The brand also registered a rise of 20.2 percent in Japan, with 815 vehicles sold (2007: 678). Audi recorded strong growth in Australia as well, where it sold 1,025 vehicles – 45.4 percent more than in the same month of last year.

Neverfollow - 2/7/2008 11:48:12 AM

+1 Boost

No, but I think the way you spell weird is weird.

autopro - 2/6/2008 3:15:03 PM

-1 Boost

6418 cars? They have a long way to go,but their product is on the right track.

ThierryHenry14 - 2/6/2008 8:27:56 PM

+3 Boost

Audi is on a good pace. If they can push the US market's sales, then its going well over 1 Million for sure...

1evlaudi - 2/6/2008 10:39:09 PM

+3 Boost

And I wanted to share something with all our Audi fans and Audi haters. It is out of Autoweek...
"S6 is laugh-out-loud fun, even when the flakes fly"
This story comes from the 02/04/08 issue of AutoWeek magazine. Reading the magazine is the only way to make sure you don't miss anything. If you aren't getting the magazine, you can sign up today for just 58 cents an issue. GET THE ONLY WEEKLY CAR MAG TODAY!

Audi S6
By WENDY WARREN KEEBLER

Our Audi S6, with its terrific cabin and its sweet and savage V10 power, got lots of requests for "extended stays" during its second quarter. And it served especially well when winter hit.

First, though, came the Saga of the Snows. The only available 19-inch snow tires weren't the extra-load sort required to handle the V10. But our pals at the Tire Rack came through with a solution and an education. They advised us to go with 18-inch tires, and they made sure the tire-pressure monitoring system would still work, the rims would clear the brake calipers (very important for high-performance cars with giant brakes) and the tires could handle the S6 load. "If we hadn't talked to those guys," said one editor, "we would have had inadequate snow tires that would have blown out on us."

Instead, our S6 sleigh was unstoppable. As one happy driver put it: "The heft of the car, the quattro and the grip of the snow tires made snow a nonfactor."

Two editors have gone on record saying they would take this Audi over a BMW M5. Wrote one of them: "The V10 is a sweet and smooth beast, laugh-out-loud fun when you stomp the throttle. The ride is a tad harsh, but it's an absolute joy when you have smooth pavement ahead of you." And from the other: "The seats rock, and the power from the V10 is good once you git 'er up over three grand. The body is nice and subtle, stealthy. The cabin is great. I'm no MMI fan, but I'll take it all day over iDrive."

In another comparison-with our long-term Lexus LS 460 L-the Audi's roomy trunk was praised, a pleasure after the skimpy trunk of the Lexus."

1evlaudi - 2/6/2008 11:06:26 PM

+2 Boost

Oh and then there is this....
http://www.wheels24.co.za/Wheels24/News/General_News/0,,1369-1372-2094_2265348,00.html

S4cabriofoxone - 2/7/2008 12:08:39 AM

+2 Boost

Take a gander: Audi sold 4,000 more vehicles in China than in the US last month.

WOW.

If that pace continues, they'll sell 48,000 more cars in China.

Neverfollow - 2/7/2008 11:53:32 AM

+3 Boost

I didn't know they sold either the A2 or the A3 in China. The big seller is the A6 which is also manufactured there. The A4 was introduced just last year and this year they added A8, R8, and Q7 in limited numbers.

S4cabriofoxone - 2/7/2008 1:33:36 PM

+2 Boost

Nice try amazinBimmer, but the A6, which is their bread and butter there, outsells the Chinese BMW 5 Series by a wide margin.

S4cabriofoxone - 2/7/2008 1:33:59 PM

+2 Boost

Nice try amazinBimmer, but the A6, which is their bread and butter there, outsells the Chinese BMW 5 Series by a wide margin.

VISO - 2/7/2008 1:46:05 PM

+1 Boost

Wow! Are you truely and idiot! You're not even rational, yet alone factual to make a critical argument with. You are like a fly at a picnic. You just don't go away.

VISO - 2/7/2008 1:48:51 PM

+1 Boost

I assume you know that previous surveys have shown A8L owners on average earn $100,000 per year than 7-Series owners, tend to be more educated, are more likely to be entrepreneurs, and are generally more wealthy. It happened to be JD Power study several years back. So, take your poor Audi comments and stick up your BMW windpipe.

GermanNut - 2/7/2008 7:01:45 PM

+1 Boost

LOL maybe to you AmazinIdiot selling cars at an amazing is not the answer, but considering China will become the number one car market by 2012, it sure in hell is the answer for rapid growth and success.

Bring it on you slime ball....

Mark my words 2025.....Audi will be number 1

528i - 2/7/2008 10:13:37 PM

+1 Boost

I though it was by 2015.

VISO - 2/9/2008 12:37:26 PM

+1 Boost

Here is an interesting tidbit:

Russian Sales in 2007:

MB: 15330 (65% gain in 2007)
Audi: 15313 (60% gain in 2007)
BMW: 14008 (55% gain in 2007)
Lexus: 13212 (32% gain in 2007)
Infiniti: 5550 (662% gain in 2007)

A very fast growing market:

Source: Automotive News Europ

VISO - 2/9/2008 12:34:16 PM

+1 Boost

State your facts. You ramble alot about this and that, but never seem it make a single educated and factual statement. And if your so blindly ant-Audi (did your grandma get run over by an Audi or something - your bias borders on the pychopath) why do you post on Audi blogs. You must be some low level BMW mole from the factory. You amaze me with your lack of anything significant to say on any blog.

GermanNut - 2/9/2008 1:21:34 PM

+2 Boost

A6 outsells BMW 5-series and Audi is going to be the #1 luxury brand by 2020. Live with THAT!

Also, live with the fact that you can't provide any evidence to support your claims.

You just post useless information. Next time provide factual evidence that supports your claim idiot.

GermanNut - 2/9/2008 1:24:16 PM

+2 Boost

Until you provide factual information, amazinIdiot, all your comments are believed to be false.