Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG – Speech to the Audi Press Conference Auto Show Shanghai

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.

Today’s leading actor has been unveiled and it is the world premier for a beautiful car. We have been working hard on every detail. Now the stage is set for our new Audi A3 sedan – and its sporty version, the S3 sedan. For me, personally, the most beautiful view of this new model is its rear end.

The A3 sedan represents an important milestone for us: With the introduction of the Audi A3 in 1996, we launched the very first premium model in the European compact-class segment. And with todays world premier, Audi is once again a pioneer: We are now the first to bring a sedan to China in the premium compact class. The new A3 sedan will play a crucial role in meeting the growing demand in this segment.

We will produce it in China – in our new plant in Foshan, which is set to go into operation by the end of this year. Our presence in Foshan is a huge step for us:

The new plant has a capacity of more than 150.000 automobiles per year Southern China is a dynamic region where we see a lot of potential for the future. And with the opening of our second production site in China, the Audi success story continues.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Audi is always moving ahead. We just premiered our very first plug-in-hybrid – the A3 e-tron – at the Geneva Motor Show a few weeks ago. At Audi, we are absolutely convinced that the concept is the best way forward into the age of electric mobility. The Audi A3 e-tron has a 50-kilometer range when driven in purely electric mode, which means we offer city driving with zero emissions. Alongside its electric motor, it also has a combustion engine: this results in an overall range of nearly 1,000 kilometers. The good news is, we will launch the A3 e-tron also in China.

Ladies and Gentlemen, We have seen the new Audi Q5, and we have seen two fascinating members of the A3 family. The full range of Audi models is a testimony of our commitment to customers. And it’s a commitment to continuously increasing fuel efficiency. And Audi is delivering!

Since 2012, Audi has already met the official weight-based targets of the Chinese fuel consumption regulations to a larger extent than any other premium brand. We even over-fulfill the targets. Audi is the first car manufacturer to equip every locally built model in China with efficient start-stop technology and brake energy recovery.

This includes the new Audi Q3 and Audi Q5.

And it pays off: We are proud of an additional reduction of about 20  percent in our locally built models as far as average fuel consumption is concerned.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Audi is following ambitious targets for the future in China: We will increase our product portfolio in the upcoming years. When it comes to sustainable mobility and environmental friendliness, we will support our strategy with innovations like plug-in-hybrids and lightweight technologies. And we will maintain our number one position in the most dynamic premium market worldwide.

Thank you very much.