03.04.2001 – 11:00

Audi AG

From the inventor of TDI: The two-millionth Audi diesel - an A2 1.2 TDI
20 years of diesel technology from Audi
44 percent of all new Audi vehicles fitted with TDI

Ingolstadt/Neckarsulm (ots)

- Cross-reference: photo was sent via satellite and is available
     at: http://recherche.newsaktuell.de/galerie.htx?type=obs

A second photo of the Audi A2 1.2 TDI and from the event will be
available from approximately 1.00 p.m. via "obs"

The two-millionth Audi with diesel
engine rolled off the production line at the Neckarsulm plant today:
an A2 1.2 TDI, the world's first five-door three-litre car, in other
words one that uses just three litres of fuel per 100 km.

"With this car, Audi has set yet another milestone in the history
of diesel direct injection technology", declared Member of the Board
for Production at Audi, Dr. Jochem Heizmann, in the presence of
Baden-Württemberg's undersecretary for environment and transport
Stefan Mappus, local politicians, employees and the Works Council.
"This Audi A2 has a lower fuel consumption over 100 kilometres than a
conventional motor scooter, but goes twice as fast and can transport
twice as many people", continued Heizmann.

The success of Audi diesel innovations is reflected in the
production figures. Last year, more than 260,000 vehicles were
equipped with a diesel engine and thus approximately 40 percent of
overall production at Audi. This figure increased to about 44 percent
in the first three months of the current year. Every second Audi
registered in Western Europe and Germany in 2000 had TDI.

Mappus placed a special emphasis on the importance of the
Neckarsulm plant: "Today's landmark is further proof of the plant's
innovative strength and of its economic importance for the region."
With the production of the two-millionth Audi diesel model, the
company is not only demonstrating its successes with diesel engines,
it is also documenting its unique experiences and competence in the
field of aluminium construction and in the production of attractive
and economical vehicles as epitomised by the A2, the first
volume-production vehicle with an all-aluminium body.

The new A2 1.2 TDI unites all the characteristics of a
high-quality and exceptionally functional compact vehicle, as indeed
does the entire A2 family. Its spaciousness is just as convincing as
its ride comfort and the feeling of luxury it conveys. The
three-litre Audi will be launched on the market in June.

Audi installed the first diesel engine in the Audi 80 back in
1978. The era of revolutionary TDI technology started around twelve
years ago. In 1989 the company presented an Audi 100 with the world's
first diesel engine with direct injection and electronic engine
management in a passenger car at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Thus Audi
paved the way for a revolution on the market for passenger cars with
diesel engines, and helped revamp the diesel engine's image: from
being slow, noisy and uncultivated it became agile, smooth and
extremely economical.

Today the Audi TDI engine, which was not taken seriously by the
competition at the beginning, has become the epitome of high-torque
and economical diesel technology - from three to eight cylinders.

"Technological progress at Audi is closely linked to the
Neckarsulm plant. The decision to produce the economical Audi A2 at
the Neckarsulm plant has made a major contribution towards
safeguarding the location and jobs", said Chairman of the Works
Council at Neckarsulm, Norbert Rank. With just under 14,000
employees, the workforce at the Neckarsulm plant has reached a record
high.

Audi is an international developer and manufacturer of
high-quality cars.
   The company sold more than 650,000 cars of the Audi brand in 2000.
Sales totalled DM 39 billion (including Autogerma). The Audi Group
currently has around 50,000 employees.

* Pictures can be called up at http://www.audi-press.com; password
from Tel. ++49 (0)841 89 36189.

Communication: Corporate and Finance
Joachim Cordshagen, 
Tel: ++49 (0)841 89 36340, 
Mobile: ++49 (0)172 9104468
e-mail:  joachim.cordshagen@audi.de
Dr. Ute Röding, 
Tel: ++49 (0)841 89 36384, 
Mobile: ++49 (0)172 9107428
e-mail:  ute.roeding@audi.de

Public Affairs, Neckarsulm
Susanne Jauch, 
Tel: ++49 (0)7132 31 1310
e-mail:  susanne.jauch@audi.de

Original-Content von: Audi AG, übermittelt durch news aktuell