Audi's October 2009 Global Sales Rise 0.4% - 2009 Forecast Raised to 925,000 units

Audi's October 2009 global sales increase further cements the brand's standing as the best-positioned premium luxury brand coming out of this financial/auto-market crisis.

Audi's sales are down just 6.7% for the January-October period whereas competitors BMW and Mercedes-Benz are down 15% and 14% respectively on a global basis.

Yes but BMW gained ground over Audi in the month of October. Which will continue from this point forward. Due alot to the 7-series AWD arriving. Then the New 5-series arrives next year. Audi has done well and come out with some really nice cars, but they have a long way to go to catch BMW.

I disagree, BMW4me4ever. Audi has a bunch of very high-volume, low-priced vehicles being launched in the next two years. More specifically the Audi Q3, and A1 will cause Audi's sales to skyrocket. Also the brand new A8 is out next year, which Audi knows it must hit on all cyclinders to steal marketshare from the stalwart Benz S-class (and to a much lesser extent BMW's 7-series) in the uber-luxury sedan category.

Finally, a new A6 is due in 2012 and I'm confident it will continue its reign as the world's best-selling mid-size luxury sedan when compared to BMW's 5-series and Mercedes' E-class.

German - a couple things whether you want to admit to it or not.

1) BMW currently doesnt really have a small size SUV, since the X3 has been all but discontinued. The New X3 will debut next year in the 4th quarter. Followed shortly there after by the X1.

2) The New A8, is due out next year, but the BMW 7-series AWD version hasnt been taken into account yet. Where as the Mercedes offers the S-class in 6 models. Therefore allowing them to sell more. Having driven both extensively, the BMW 7-series is the one to beat.

3) You mention the A6, but dont foget by that time BMW will have a New 3-series model out. The current 3-series is the most successful of all the luxury small cars.

Those are 3 pretty large impacts on the overall sustainability of a company and what the future holds. I think that Audi will pass Mercedes, but they are a long way off from passing BMW.

BMW has an extremely tough Core in the 3-series, 5-series & 7-series. All of them lead the segments that they are in for sales. Even though the 5-series is at the end of its life cycle, the 3-series is over half done & the 7-series is just starting ....

Audi on the other hand has the A4, A6, A8. Only 1 of the 3 cores is doing well. The other 2 are selling horribly. Audi Q5 which is doing well as a New model. But the Q7 doesnt sell well. If you are going to beat BMW, then have to get the core of the brand on an equal playing field. At least for the next few years, Audi is not there.

Don't forget the A7, Nut.

To beat BMW you don't have to get to the core of the brand because as we speak the core of the BMW brand is getting diluted by ugly-looking, useless models such as the 5-series GT and X6. Both will be/have been complete sales disasters because they are relying too heavily on the BMW slogan of "Ultimate Driving Machine" at the expense of looks and functionality.

Remember, Audi does not even have a 6-series, or X1/X3 competitor yet. Those will come next year in the form of the A7 and Q3. I can assure you if the A5 and Q5 sales are anything to go by, Audi will have yet another hit in a line of recent hit cars.

We clearly see that the new Audis drive better than ever before and even better than their BMW counterparts in some cases (The 2010 Audi S4 has defeated the BMW 335i in more than 5 comparison tests), the Audi Q5 has routinely defeated the BMW X3 and Benz GLK in comparison tests.

Audi is sharpening the driving experience of its cars to match and, more recently, surpass BMW's. W is just helping Audi out along the way by releasing products that no one will buy and that cost a fortune to develop because it is too focused on its 'ltimate Driving Machine' and has lost sight of design and purpose.

For the slow people:

(The 2010 Audi S4 has defeated the BMW 335i in more than 5 comparison tests):

Yes they did, but had to use a Performance drive to do so. Then again the 3-series still outsells the Audi 2 to 1 in the US. In 2 years BMW will have a New 3-series model.

2.To beat BMW you don't have to get to the core of the brand because as we speak the core of the BMW brand is getting diluted by ugly-looking, useless models such as the 5-series GT and X6. ---- The Core Brand of anyone is what sustains a company, not the niche cars. Just because you dont like the 5-series GT or X6, doesnt make it bad. Audi has plenty of overlapping niche cars. You would know about a core of the brand being successful if you would get the AUDI bias out of your ears. For being a German Nut, you are pretty much not into other German makes, but you are a NUT

3. the Audi Q5 has routinely defeated the BMW X3 and Benz GLK in comparison tests. The X3 is 7 years old. I would hope that they would best the X3 ....lol.

4. How does the A6 in sales stack up to the 7 year old BMW 5-series? Not too good. The 7 year old 5-series outsells the A6 by at least 2.5 to 1. Then the New 5-series will be arriving in 10 months.

5. The A8 is finally almost done and due for a rework. The New model will be out, but even in its heyday, the A8 never sold anywhere near the same amount of cars as the comparable S-class or the 7-series. Both of those models lead the segment & not even close

6. The A4 has won some comparions tests vs the 335. It should when to do so, have to have the performance rear drive. Without it, the Audi S4 will lose. This is even with BMW out handling the Audi. The A4 is nice car. Optioned well, but still doesnt sell nearly as well as the BMW.

*** If Audi wants to pass BMW, then they have to sure up the " Core of the Brand ". But just like BMW, they are coming out with all sorts of nich cars.

It should read "BMW is just helping...." and " on its "Ultimate Driving Machine"