Audi Dethrones Mercedes-Benz in 2011 Global Sales - Eyes BMW Next

number one selling lux car Audi A6
I think 80k cars could happen this year. If Audi gave us cars we would be there

Congratulation Audi on much desevered success. The best is yet to come.

Congratulations Audi on much desevered success. The best is yet to come.

Nice job. The only complaint I have is the A1, by Audi introducing a car positioned so low in the market, they are going to force Mercedes, and BMW to eventually do the same...which will dilute the brands. The A1 starts at less than the Mini, and accounts for around 100K sales a year for Audi. If you remove the 100k for A1 sales Audi would still be a distant 3rd, or it you put BMW badges on the nearly 300K Minis sold BMW would be miles ahead. Shortcuts don’t really impress me.

"The only complaint I have is the A1, by Audi introducing a car positioned so low in the market, they are going to force Mercedes, and BMW to eventually do the same...which will dilute the brands."


No it won't.

The A1 is a so-called "lifestyle product" (in the same class as the MINI Cooper, Fiat 500, Alfa Romeo Mito, BMW 1-Series and the new soon-to-come Mercedes A-Class) bought by anyone from affluent young professionals to retired top managers, both male and female. They want a premium car but they don't need an A3 or an A4 or anything bigger since they either live alone or already own a larger car when they need it.

Also, small premium cars are the future in many parts of the world. Outside of North America space is a premium. The roads are narrow, parking is limited (and parking spaces are small) and garage space is quite small. People want smaller cars that are also practical and spacious inside.

I live in Munich and drive a BMW 118i 5-Door and there are some parking spots here where my car won't even fit in. Why? Because our parking spots have remained the same size for cars produced in the 1960s and 1970s. Modern cars have grown in size. A few days ago my 1er was parked next to a W116 MB S-Class and my car made the S-Class look small. Nevertheless the 1er is ideal for a European city. I'd have trouble finding parking spots for anything bigger, that means a 3-Series is out of the question.

I once had my parents W212 E350 CGI for a week - a nightmare to drive such a large car in this city, especially in regards to parking spaces. Trust me, our parking spaces are tight and small. We want smaller cars.

Thing is the A1 starting price is between a polo and the mini.It dosnet have a premium price or options.

"(in the same class as the MINI Cooper, Fiat 500, Alfa Romeo Mito, BMW 1-Series and the new soon-to-come Mercedes A-Class)"

The one series is an A3 competitor not a super mini.

Thing is the A1 starting price is between a polo and the mini.It dosnet have a premium price or options.

"(in the same class as the MINI Cooper, Fiat 500, Alfa Romeo Mito, BMW 1-Series and the new soon-to-come Mercedes A-Class)"

The one series is an A3 competitor not a super mini.

The A class has been on sale since 1997.

The A class starts at 21,033 euros, the A1 starts at 16,000 euro in germany. Thats 24% cheaper than the A.

Ah yes, my bad about the A1/A3. But the point still stands: these are lifestyle vehicles and premium makes would be stupid to miss out on this lucrative market.

@ Chevy: The two generations of MB A-Class have been small MPVs with very little focus on sportiness and design. The new A-Class hopes to change that with more focus on sport and design, thus qualifying better as a lifestyle product.

senorgato: Interesting point man.

let them all fight it out for OUR business !!!! in the end, WE the consumers win .

Regarding the that sales growth is attributable to the A1 only, here is a portion of a press release from Audi AG:

"Worldwide, too, the full-size models were instrumental in driving Audi’s growth: Even before the appearance of the new-generation A6 in China, the sedan model’s biggest market, global sales of this car line rose by 12.2 percent to around 229,200 vehicles. The new A6 sedan appeared in its first markets in March, with the Avant, which is especially popular in Europe, following only in the fall. By contrast the A7 Sportback has now been on the market for its first full year, attracting over 31,300 customers worldwide. The brand with the four rings also increased its presence in the full-size category with the Q7, with sales up 21.4 percent on the previous year. Launched at the start of 2010, the brand’s flagship A8 model actually doubled its volume (+101 percent)."