Audi Looks Stateside for Much of its Projected Growth

AUDI aspirations to become the world's leading premium brand by 2015 are being built around growth in markets like China and Russia but are also being hitched to a market not normally noted for growth – the United States.

Ralph Weyler, member of the board of management of Audi AG and head of worldwide sales and marketing, told GoAuto at the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney that Audi wanted to sell 1.4 million cars a year by 2015. The irony is that much of that growth is expected to come from the US where Audi is now building momentum after its long recovery from the sales disaster of the 1980s when the so-called unintended acceleration issue devastated the brand.

Audi sales in the US fell from about 80,000 a year to 12,000 units a year. "We were nearly dead," Mr Weyler said. "But gradually the brand has recovered and now we are at the level of 90,000.

"BMW at that time also had 80,000 sales but now BMW is selling 250,000. So there is a lot of improvement we can make (in the US) now that we have lots of good products and the perceived quality values are good."

More after the jump:



Full 2006 SEMA Auto Show Gallery link

2006 SEMA Auto Show Photo Gallery

We've also added more photos to our Paris to Bejing rally photo gallery so be sure to check them out!

Mercedes-Benz Paris to Bejing Photo Gallery

More photos in our show photo galleries...

AutoSpies.com Photo Galleries


Read Article

MercBasher - 11/10/2006 11:12:56 AM

+1 Boost

Ralph Weyler can say he'd like to sell any number of vehicles he wants in the future - but in my opinion total profits and profitability are more important measure of success than sales. That's why [in alphabetical order] BMW, Lexus and Porsche are in my mind the top luxury brands at the moment.

AUDIMAN4 - 11/10/2006 6:20:36 PM

+1 Boost

Wait a minute, we're talking international here, not US. Don't get confused.

So the top brands profitability wise are actually Audi, BMW, and Mercedes. Lexus is not an international player.

audiot - 11/10/2006 11:47:45 AM

-1 Boost

What a coincidence. I'm looking for most of my projected growth in between my couch cushions.

EL34i - 11/10/2006 4:45:35 PM

+1 Boost

Don't forget to check your beer-induced rolls of belly fat!

S4cabriofox - 11/10/2006 11:41:44 PM

+1 Boost

VW has always struggled in America. I don't know why- they have great ads, and their cars are very competitive, adding an extra dose of sportiness and luxury to the mix. They command a premium for a reason.

Audi obviously would like to see its US sales increase. Like one Inside Line (edmunds.com/insideline) columnist said, "The Big Three of the U.S. luxury market are truly wondrous manufacturers that create top-notch products. But not one of them produces anything that is two times, much less three times, better than any Audi rolling off an assembly line today."

They deserve to succeed for obviously reasons. They're motivated- now all they need is better marketing, and they can't seem to grasp that aspect.

S4cabriofox - 11/10/2006 11:42:16 PM

+1 Boost

*Obvious, not "obviously". I hate typos.

Parkinglot2 - 11/11/2006 1:22:31 AM

+2 Boost

they really need to make a manufacturing plant in the states and put more money in advertising and marketing support in order to increase their sales figure.

iown1 - 11/11/2006 9:16:08 AM

+2 Boost

^ Totally agree.

S4cabriofox - 11/11/2006 5:26:54 PM

+1 Boost

That sums it up perfectly.

What kills me is that their cars are so good. I've been 100% satisfied with mine. I'm of course going to shop around and step out of the box, but I wouldn't be disappointed if it was only Audi that fit my needs.