Audi Clear Premium Market Leader in Europe

INGOLSTADT, GERMANY – October 9, 2009: AUDI AG sold around 705,300 cars worldwide from January through September. The cumulative result is thus a mere 7.5 percent behind last year’s record (2008: 762,288 cars) in a situation that continues to be difficult. In the first three quarters of the year, the company’s unit sales were ahead of the projected figures, with Audi aiming to deliver approximately 900,000 cars to customers in 2009 as a whole. In September the company delivered around 88,600 cars, with sales remaining some 6.8 percent behind the strong figures of last September (2008: 95,136). The company recorded high growth in the BRIC countries, especially in China. Other emerging markets in the Asia-Pacific region have also improved significantly on last year.

“Our unit sales developed better than expected during the first three quarters of the year,” says Peter Schwarzenbauer, Member of the Board of Management for Marketing and Sales at AUDI AG. “In the United States we’ve consolidated our position, and in China we’ve reasserted our leadership. And the current figures confirm our position as Europe’s leading premium brand. We have been able to significantly strengthen our brand during these months.” As the registration statistics of the European manufacturer’s organization ACEA show, Audi is the clear market leader in terms of new car registrations in the overall European premium segment.


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Yonder7 - 10/13/2009 6:14:29 PM

+3 Boost

Kudos for Audi......and keep going...

GermanNut - 10/13/2009 7:21:50 PM

+1 Boost

It will be crucial for Audi to continue to execute on all cylinders including design, performance, fuel economy, emissions, and price. I strongly believe Audi will continue to release excellent cars and will solidify its position as Europe's best-selling premium brand even further.

JRobUSC - 10/13/2009 8:11:42 PM

-1 Boost

well I'd hope you believe in them, since YOU WORK FOR AUDI. Other than that, you're totally unbiased I'm sure.

validus00 - 10/13/2009 8:25:53 PM

-1 Boost

umm... audi is certainly NOT the leader of the premium brands in europe.

the report is clearly wrong. ACEA's own statistics on their website show that audi is trailing mercedes-benz sales by almost 20% in europe (EU's 27 members + EFTA's 3) as of august 2009.

http://www.acea.be/index.php/news/news_detail/new_vehicle_registrations_by_manufacturer/

you must feel pretty dumb for posting this article by now.

validus00 - 10/13/2009 8:43:05 PM

+6 Boost

actually i may have to retract my statement. the link i provided above are the correct sales numbers of said brands thus far this year. however, it is possible that mb maintains a lead over audi in sales simply because the new vehicle registration data includes commercial vehicles such as trucks.

my apology for not giving you the benefit of the doubt.

now i feel dumb for jumping the gun! :P

inspirion7 - 10/14/2009 1:04:11 PM

+2 Boost

That was cool you clear it up, a gold star for you!

LexSucks - 10/13/2009 9:10:03 PM

-4 Boost

I'd like to see model to model comparisons.

R8 vs Porsche 911 Turbo sales
A8 vs 7-Series sales
A6 vs E-Class sales
A6 vs 5-Series sales
A4 vs 3-Series sales

I'm thinking that a large portion of the numbers are A3 sales. Which is a non premium vehicle. This may be a misleading article because the actual Audi vehicles that can be considered premium are being outsold by its competitors.

chewy - 10/13/2009 10:34:50 PM

+2 Boost

A3 is not Audi's best selling vehicle. Using your logic BMW 1 series, Mercedes A and B class sales don't count either?

LexSucks - 10/14/2009 9:22:17 AM

+1 Boost

"Using your logic BMW 1 series, Mercedes A and B class sales don't count either"

- Exactly! Lets just compare the premium models.

AudiNewEngland - 10/14/2009 9:25:02 AM

+1 Boost

Seriously,
those A & B class cars blow along with the 118i little ugly hatchback thing. The A3 is the best of the bunch. BMW and MB don't bring those ugly little things over as to not tarnish brand image. I can't believe those companies even make those things. Don't be so quick to criticize the A3.

LexSucks - 10/14/2009 9:29:00 AM

+1 Boost

"Don't be so quick to criticize the A3."

- All I said was that the A3 isn't a premium vehicle. Do you think that the A3 is a permium vehicle? If so, then why?

LexSucks - 10/14/2009 9:35:39 AM

+1 Boost

AudiNewEngland,

Which A3 model blows away the BMW 135i? Kinda Strange that you picked the lowest 1 series model to compare against all Audi A3 series models. Why didn't you bring up the BMW 135 for A3 comparisons?

BobbyJ - 10/14/2009 1:59:26 AM

+1 Boost

I would take any Audi over a similar BMW or MBZ except for the S Class/7 Series and the E Class/5 Series...but not for long. Once the new A8 and A6 comes out it's over!

LexSucks - 10/14/2009 9:27:01 AM

+2 Boost

Which similar Audi would you take over an X5M? Which similar Audi would you take over the M5 and the M6? And which similar Audi would you take over the M3 (S4 competes with the 335 remember)?

LexSucks - 10/14/2009 1:28:04 PM

+2 Boost

You'd drive an RS6, RS4/RS5 in the snow? That's almost like Driving a Gallardo in the Snow.

MeanVulcan - 10/14/2009 12:35:51 PM

+1 Boost

So much confrontation ... I just let the Audi sales figures and market gain WORLDWIDE and in every major market do the talking.

inspirion7 - 10/14/2009 1:06:28 PM

+1 Boost

Audi is an incredible company and has worked at gaining marketshare. Build it well, with style, they will come. Congrats Audi.

LexSucks - 10/14/2009 1:09:03 PM

+2 Boost

Audi fans are starting to become worse than Lexus fans.

GermanNut - 10/14/2009 3:59:20 PM

0 Boost

Lexus fans are jealous that Audi outsells Lexus by more than 2 to 1 globally.

Lexus fans are also jealous that Audi can actually create a mid-engined supercar and have it be driven down your street by your neighbor instead of on some computer-gimmick videogame thing, or in the hands of a company-employed professional driver around a racetrack that is not open to the public.

LexSucks, to answer your above question, I would take the Audi R8 V8 over any BMW ever produced, including the M3, M5, M6, Z8 etc.

People actually drive their RS6s and RS4s/soon to be RS5s in the snow because they have Quattro AWD.

LexSucks - 10/14/2009 5:02:23 PM

+2 Boost

"LexSucks, to answer your above question, I would take the Audi R8 V8 over any BMW ever produced, including the M3, M5, M6, Z8 etc."

- Of course you would. The R8 doesn't compete against any of those cars. Pick on someone your own size :-)

How about:
Porsche 911 Turbo Vs R8

M3 vs Oh yeah... Audi doesn't currently have a car that competes with the M3

X5 vs Audi ??
X5M vs Audi ??

Audis are OK But they have a ways to go. In order to get an Audi that actaully performs, you have to spend well over $55k? Why is that? Audi always shortchanges A4/A6 customers when it comes to making competitive engine power. On top of that the A4/A6 and yes the TT designs are dull IMO. Audi haven't even figured out how to give the A5/S5 a sunroof. LOL!!