Roughly 312,600 deliveries add up to Audi's best first quarter
Ingolstadt (ots)
- Strong March with around 125,700 deliveries
- Sales chief Schwarzenbauer: "Expect significant growth from the
new A6 Sedan"
- Significant double-digit growth in all regions over the first
three monthsAUDI AG has ended the best first quarter in its history with strong results for March, with around 125,700 deliveries amounting to an increase of 13.9 percent. The company sold around 312,600 cars in the first three months, 18.4 percent more than during the same period last year. Meanwhile, growth rates in all regions were in a clear double-digit range. The new A6 Sedan is also expected to contribute to growth in the coming months. On April 1, roll-out of the new model started at dealerships, beginning in Germany and other European markets.
"The A6 is very successful in its segment. With the new generation we see even greater potential - especially in China and the United States, but in Germany as well," said Peter Schwarzenbauer, Member of the Board of Management for Marketing and Sales at AUDI AG. "Over the life-cycle of the new A6 Sedan we want to exceed the total sales volume of its predecessor by around 25 percent."
Sales figures for the new Audi A1 contributed to growth in the first quarter: in March alone, 13,880 customers chose the smallest model available from Audi. Since January, AUDI AG has sold nearly 31,000 units of the A1, which currently is available primarily in Europe. In all, the company sold around 186,500 cars in the European markets during the first three months of the year. This amounts to an increase of 14.8 percent compared to the same period 2010. During the past month Audi delivered some 79,900 cars within Europe, a rise of 11.4 percent. The growth was fueled by a strong first quarter in the company's home market in Germany: With 56,283 cars, Audi sold 13.7 percent more than in the first quarter of last year.
And in the United Kingdom, where Audi traditionally is strongly represented, sales figures continued to climb over the first three months to 34,869 units, an increase of 13.7 percent.
First-quarter sales figures in the United States were up 19.1 percent with 25,383 cars; in March alone, 9,818 US-Americans bought a new Audi (up 14.3 percent from last year).
In China, Audi sold 64,122 cars between January and March, 24.6 percent more than during the same period 2010. In March, 23,000 Chinese customers chose a new car from Audi, a rise of 17.7 percent compared to March 2010. Audi recorded a significant 21.4 percent increase in the other Asia-Pacific markets as well during the first quarter and delivered some 15,800 cars in this region. Around 5,900 units were sold here in March alone, an increase of 21.3 percent.
Sales for Month of March January through March
AUDI AG 2011 2010 Change 2011 2010 Change
from from
2010 2010
World 125,700 110,370 +13.9% 312,600 264,017 +18.4%
Europe 79,900 71,745 +11.4% 186,500 162,431 +14.8%
- Germany 23,993 22,217 +8.0% 56,283 49,521 +13.7%
- UK 21,243 18,682 +13.7% 34,869 30,671 +13.7%
- Italy 6,188 5,507 +12.4% 16,698 15,612 +7.0%
- France 5,903 4,730 +24.8% 16,094 12,631 +27.4%
- Spain 4,328 4,162 +4.0% 12,375 11,194 +10.6%
USA 9,818 8,589 +14.3% 25,383 21,315 +19.1%
Asia-Pacific 28,900 24,404 +18.4% 79,900 64,446 +24.0%
- China
(including
Hong Kong) 23,000 19,543 +17.7% 64,122 51,449 +24.6%The Audi Group delivered around 1,092,400 cars of the Audi brand to customers in 2010. The Company posted revenue of EUR 35.4 billion and an operating profit of EUR 3.3 billion in 2010. Audi produces vehicles in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm (Germany), Györ (Hungary), Changchun (China) and Brussels (Belgium). Aurangabad in India saw the start of CKD production of the Audi A6 at the end of 2007, of the Audi A4 in early October 2008 and of the Audi Q5 in July 2010. Production of the new Audi A1 has been running at the Brussels plant since May 2010. The Company is active in more than 100 markets worldwide. AUDI AG's wholly owned subsidiaries include AUDI HUNGARIA MOTOR Kft., Automobili Lamborghini Holding S.p.A. in Sant'Agata Bolognese (Italy) and quattro GmbH in Neckarsulm. Audi currently employs around 60,000 people worldwide, including around 46,600 in Germany. Between 2011 and 2015 the brand with the four rings is planning to invest more than EUR 11 billion, mainly in new products, in order to sustain the Company's technological lead embodied in its "Vorsprung durch Technik" slogan. By 2015, Audi plans to increase the number of models in its portfolio to 42.
Contact:
Corporate Communications
Esther Bahne
Press Spokeswoman for Marketing and Sales
Tel.: +49 841 89-35430
e-mail: esther.bahne@audi.de
www.audi-mediaservices.com/reports
Original content of: Audi AG, transmitted by news aktuell