Mumbai, January 8, 2013: Audi has recorded an impressive 63 percent growth in India in calendar year 2012, selling 9,003 units and exceeding its revised annual sales target of 8,600 units for the year. In 2011, it had sold 5,511 units. The brand with the four rings registered a total sale of 931 units in December 2012, a strong growth of 136 percent over the same period a year ago (December 2011: 394 units).
Commenting on the company’s impressive performance in 2012, Michael Perschke, Head, Audi India, said: “The sheer acceptance of our brand in India is tremendous. We set a target of 8,000 cars for the year 2012 but managed to achieve that target by November itself and revised it further to 8,600 cars. We have managed to exceed this target with a total sale of 9,003 cars. Our strong performance is a result of our diverse product portfolio, network expansion, unique marketing activities and aftersales service at par with global standards. We have already made headway in 24 dealerships across the country by consolidating our leadership presence in markets like the NCR region, Gujarat and Maharashtra among others.”
“We also introduced five Audi models and variants in 2012 starting with the launch of the TT, new A4, Q3, S4 and A8L 4.2 TDI. Our first compact luxury SUV offering – the Q3 – was a huge success with 500 bookings within five days of launch. Our business luxury limousine, the A6 and the new A4 have also contributed greatly to this record sales performance,” he said.
In 2012, Audi strengthened its dealership network both in the metros as well as in Tier 2 and Tier III cities of India. Audi India now has a presence in 21 cities with 24 showrooms across the country with new showrooms in Raipur, Kanpur, Goa, Navi Mumbai, Coimbatore, Delhi West, Nagpur, Bhopal and Ahmedabad.
“We are at present the growth driver of the luxury car market in India and I am confident that 2013 will be more rewarding than 2012, despite the (recent) price hike. We will look forward to further strengthening our growth pillars in 2013 and have plans to open new showrooms in Lucknow, Noida, Mumbai South and Vadodara among others. 2012 has been an outstanding year for us in India. With this remarkable sales performance, we have not only retained our position as the fastest growing luxury car brand in India. We are confident to be the No.1 luxury car brand in India by 2015,” Perschke concluded.
The Indian market for Audi though pales when compared to China. Audi AG has set a new record in the Chinese market in 2012. Deliveries in China and Hong Kong exceeded the 400,000 mark for the first time, with deliveries climbing to 405,838 vehicles, a 29.6 percent increase compared to the previous year.
Audi sales in China surpass 400,000 units for first time in 2012