Following the record-breaking year 2012, Audi AG has posted a successful start to 2013. In January, the company sold around 111,750 units worldwide, representing an increase of 16.3 percent and testimony to clear growth in all regions of the world.
The successful mid-size model lines A4 and Q5 made a substantial contribution to this growth with deliveries rising strongly in China at 38.5 percent. In the USA (+7.5 percent) and Europe (+8.6 percent), too, January deliveries topped the figures from the prior-year month.
Reacting to this development, Luca de Meo, member of the Board of Management for Sales and Marketing at Audi AG said, “Although the general economic situation in certain European countries remains challenging, we’ve managed to achieve a very successful start to the year in all regions of the world. Our popular SUV models and the new A3 family will help to continue our pattern of growth in 2013.”
In January 2013, around 37,678 customers in China opted for a model with the four rings – a 38.5 percent increase on a year ago. In 2012, the Chinese New Year celebrations fell in January, resulting in fewer sales days due to the holidays; in 2013, the New Year celebrations will be held in February.
In Audi’s largest sales market, the locally produced A4 L (+30.0 percent), Q5 (+55.1 percent) and A6 L models proved particularly popular last month. Around 13,657 customers received their keys to the long-wheelbase luxury-class sedan (+52.9 percent). Worldwide, the sales figures for the Audi midsize model lines A4, A5 and Q5 posted strong growth (around 50,800 units, an increase of 24.6 percent).
Together with the A1 Sportback, just introduced about a year ago, and the Q3, this ensured that Audi also managed to sustain growth in markets experiencing economic difficulties, notching up an 8.6 percent increase throughout Europe.
In Germany, sales of the SUV Q5 rose by 70.1 percent to 1,553 units, while the A4 family increased by nearly 2,100 units. Overall, Audi posted an increase of 11.8 percent in its domestic market, equivalent to 14,611 automobiles sold. In the United Kingdom, too, Audi sold 9,878 units on the back of significant growth of 15.3 percent due to increased demand for the midsize models.
For example, deliveries of the A5 Sportback increased by 48.1 percent and those of the Q5 by 54.4 percent. Audi also performed well in January in those markets where the general economic situation was already proving challenging over the past few months. Demand for the models with the four rings in Spain rose by 8.6 percent to 2,754 units and in Italy by 3.9 percent to 3,767 units.
In France, the company managed to maintain delivery totals on a par with the prior-year figure (4,011 units, +/-0 percent). In Eastern Europe, the markets continued to perform
MIKE OCHONMA
