Audi: Successful Activities in China

“2003 was a very successful year for Audi in China”, according to Erich Schmitt, Member of the Board of Management for Purchasing and responsible for AUDI AG’s activities in China. While the overall market expanded by 69.6 percent to 2.27 million units, Audi increased its sales on the Chinese market by a total of 71.5 percent.

By the end of the year, Audi posted a total sales volume of 63,531 units, including 53,108 Audi A6 and 8,173 Audi A4 models produced locally (combined total up 75.3 percent). 2,250 Audi vehicles (up 8.6 percent) were imported into China, with Hong Kong, including 1,265 of the luxury Audi A8 saloon (up 95.8 percent).

Vehicle sales increased by 109 percent to 6,630 units in December alone. The company also expects to maintain growth at a high level on this market in coming years. According to Erich Schmitt, “the percentage increase will be in double figures this year “.

Audi has been the leading manufacturer in the premium segment in China since 1988. As well as the A6, which has been built at the Changchun plant since 1999, the Audi A4 started production here in April 2003. The Audi A8, Audi A4 Cabriolet, allroad quattro and Audi TT are all imported into China. The new A8 was launched on the Chinese market in the middle of last year. After Germany and the USA, China is now the third biggest A8 market worldwide.