AUDI AG: Global sales rise in July by 2.1 percent 07.08.2009: * Record month for Audi in China * Growth in key Asian and European markets * Audi is the most successful premium brand in Western Europe

    * Record month for Audi in China
    * Growth in key Asian and European markets
    * Audi is the most successful premium brand in Western Europe
    * Rising market share in the United States

AUDI AG sold 2.1 percent more vehicles worldwide last month than in July 2008. Some 85,000 customers opted for a new Audi (2008: 83,210). From January through July, the company sold approximately 551,000 vehicles – 8.1 percent less than one year earlier (2008: 599,429). As the market's leading premium brand, Audi benefited from growth in China to reach a new monthly sales record there. In the United States and Western Europe, Audi’s sales progressed better than those of its competitors.

“In recent months we’ve bolstered our brand worldwide by investing wisely; and with our sales success in July we further increased the pressure on the competition” said Peter Schwarzenbauer, Member of the Board of Management for Marketing and Sales at AUDI AG. “Our financial data show that we are not only achieving impressive sales figures, but that our business is above all profitable; our encouraging development is long-lasting.” For the first six months of 2009, the Audi Group had just reported an operating profit of 823 million euros.

The greatest total increase in sales last month was reached by Audi in its second home market. Sales figures in China (including Hong Kong) grew by 42.5 percent in July over one year earlier to 13,399 vehicles (2008: 9,403); with 80,265 vehicles sold in China during the first seven months of 2009, year-on-year growth amounted to 14.8 percent (2008: 69,912). In the Asia-Pacific region as a whole, Audi sold around 102,500 premium vehicles from January through July (+12.7 percent; 2008: 90,924).

In July alone, the brand registered a year-on-year increase of 37.1 percent (some 16,500 vehicles; 2008: 12,037). To this result, the brand’s rising sales figures in other key regional markets contributed. Growth in Australia, for example, amounted to 26.1 percent (943 vehicles; 2008: 748); in Japan, Audi registered a 7.5 percent increase (1,040 vehicles; 2008: 967), and in South Korea sales rose by 28.4 percent (565 vehicles; 2008: 440).

In its home country of Germany, AUDI AG exceeded its July 2008 figures by 0.3 percent with 23,404 vehicles sold (2008: 23,341). With 137,286 deliveries, sales figures were 5.8 percent lower over the first seven months than a year ago (2008: 145,745).

In Western Europe as a whole, Audi sold some 55,400 vehicles in July (2008: 56,785) – a decline of 2.4 percent. With this result, AUDI AG was able to further consolidate its position in the market. With approximately 357,150 vehicles sold in the region in the first seven months of 2009 (-10.9 percent; 2008: 400,922), Audi confirmed its status as Western Europe’s leading premium brand.

Key growth markets in the region last month were Belgium, where 2,825 customers chose an Audi vehicle (+32.4 percent; 2008: 2,133), Austria, with 1,784 vehicles sold (+33.4 percent; 2008: 1,337), Switzerland, with 1,441 units (+6.3 percent; 2008: 1,355), and Sweden – where Audi sold 1,118 vehicles (+15.4 percent; 2008: 969).

Audi of America sold 6,407 vehicles in the United States, a year-on-year decrease of 5.8 percent (2008: 6,804) – thereby narrowing the gap versus 2008 to minus 14.6 percent for the first seven months (44,252 vehicles; 2008: 51,827). In a premium market still deep in recession, Audi posted the strongest growth among its German competitors and increased its U.S. market share by 1.4 percentage points in July to 7.6 percent.

July sales were encouraging elsewhere in North America as well. Figures rose in Mexico by 13.5 percent (564 vehicles); in Canada, the brand registered year-on-year growth of 40.3 percent in July by selling 822 vehicles (2008: 586).



- Esther Bahne-  photo Audi