AUDI AG: continuing growth in Europe too
AUDI AG carried over the double-digit growth of the first half of 2012 into July, when the Company delivered some 119,600 automobiles worldwide, an increase of 12.9 percent. This strongest-ever July performance was boosted by a healthy 28 percent increase in unit sales in the United States. In Germany, too, demand for models from the Ingolstadt carmaker were yet again clearly up by 10.7 percent. Overall, Audi handed over some 852,900 cars to customers in the first seven months of the year, 12.4 percent more than in the same period of 2011.
“Following this successful start to the second half, we are expecting the new A3 to give us an extra lift over the coming months,” said Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG. “Because we aim to continue pioneering the premium compact class with the new generation, too.” The new Audi A3 will appear on the first markets from the end of August.
Despite the continuing difficult economic environment in some markets, July saw AUDI AG secure further growth in Europe. With around 60,800 cars sold, the Company improved on the prior-year month by 5.5 percent. The Ingolstadt carmaker achieved especially strong growth in Eastern Europe – unit sales there climbed by 31.4 percent to a deliveries total of around 4,800 last month. The main driver of growth in that region was Russia, where 2,757 Audi models were sold (up 35.6 percent). The brand with the four rings also maintained its dynamic performance in its home market of Germany. Sales there rose 10.7 percent to 23,712 automobiles. Cumulatively, the unit total for Germany over the first seven months is up 7.8 percent (157,885 units). This growth was fueled in particular by the A1 Sportback, the A6 Avant and the Q3. From January through July, Audi delivered some 14,500 units of its new compact SUV to customers in Germany.
New models also boosted sales in the United States, where July’s unit total of 11,707 was up 28 percent on the prior-year month. The new generations of the A4 and A5 families, which went on sale at U.S. dealers in June, were particularly in demand. Sales of the A4 models were up 51.7 percent, while the A5 models gained 31.9 percent. July also saw the first units of the RS 5 high-performance model delivered to customers in the United States.
In China, the first seven months of the year saw Audi improve on the deliveries total for the prior-year period by 34.6 percent, with sales reaching a total of 226,748 automobiles. The locally built models displaying the four rings were especially in demand. Sales of the Changchun-made Audi Q5 soared by 80 percent, with 50,170 customers choosing this SUV model between January and July. Elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific region, Audi also continues to make impressive progress in India. July saw the Company double its sales in that market (up 100 percent), where growth was driven by the appearance of the Q3 in June.
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