Audi’s global sales up 19 percent

It’s been a super year for German luxury carmaker, Audi, which sold 13,02,650 cars in 2011 beating its 2010 tally by more than 210,200 units. While China has became Audi’s biggest single market for the first time ever, with 313,036 vehicles delivered, sales in Europe increased 12 percent to around 726,300 cars; it also achieved double digit growth in the USA selling 117,561 units. “Never before have we gained so many new customers in a single year,” said Peter Schwarzenbauer, Audi’s board member for marketing and sales.

Even before the appearance of the new-generation A6 in China, the saloon model’s biggest market, global sales of this car line rose by 12.2 percent to around 229,200 vehicles. The new A6 sedan appeared in its first markets in March, with the Avant, which is especially popular in Europe, following only in the fall. By contrast the A7 Sportback which has been in the market for its first full year was bought by over 31,300 customers worldwide.

The Audi A1 brought additional customers into dealerships: In its first full year on sale, the company delivered around 118,200 of this car, mainly to customers in Europe.

After China, the home market Germany brought Audi its highest growth in absolute terms. 254,011 new cars were handed over in 2011, 10.8 percent more than in 2010.

Sales in Russia increased 25.6 percent recording sales of 23,250 units. Audi’s growth of 37.3 percent in China has been attributed to a surge in demand for the brand’s imported models and to the completion of the Changchun plant’s expansion mid-way through the year, which created extra production capacity. Sales in Brazil increased by 68 percent.