2005: Tenth Record Year in Succession for Audi

Audi was able to set a new record for vehicle sales in 2005 for the tenth year in succession: 829,100 vehicles (2004: 779,441)* were handed over to customers worldwide, an increase of 6.4 percent. Historic record figures were recorded for sales in 39 markets worldwide.

Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management at AUDI AG, stated: “We will improve these figures further in 2006 and present an average of one new model or version per month. The new Audi Q7 will be launched on European markets from mid-March. This model drive will enable us to offer customers in the premium segment an even greater variety of highly attractive models. And for this reason we also have our sights set on a new sales record again in 2006.”

The largest individual export market is the USA with 83,066 units (77,917, up 6.6 percent), followed by Great Britain with 81,374 (77,882, up 4.5 percent) and China with 58,878 (53,702, up 9.6 percent)**.

The highest growth rate among the major European markets was achieved by Spain, which recorded an increase of 13.0 percent to 49,453 units (43,764). Next in the list of the markets boasting the highest growth rate was France with an increase of 10.1 percent to 41,496 (37,676) and Italy with an increase of 10.0 percent to 55,574 units (50,500). Audi sold 247,125 vehicles in Germany – 12,033 (5.1 percent) more than in 2004.

The above-average growth of Audi in Western Europe resulted in the Ingolstadt brand achieving a record market share expected to reach 4.6 percent in 2005.
The positive development in Eastern Europe continued in 2005 with growth of 19.9 percent; Audi recorded an outstanding result in Russia in particular, with growth of 49.1 percent to 6,115 units (4,100).

Of the overseas markets, above-average figures were recorded by Japan with an increase of 11.9 percent to 15,388 vehicles sold (13,751), Australia (up 29.9 percent to 4,808), South Korea (up 190 percent to 2,200), South Africa (up 17 percent to 11,800) and the Gulf States (up 23.3 percent to 2,357). The company recently set up its own importer companies in Australia and South Korea and for the Gulf States.

*) Prior-year figures and growth rates in brackets
**) The statistics for China were converted to vehicle sales from 1 January 2005 (in accordance with other markets).