Ingolstadt, February 6, 2013: Following the record-breaking year of 2012, Audi AG has posted a successful start to 2013. In January, the company sold around 111,750 automobiles worldwide, an increase of 16.3 percent. The midsize model lines A4 and Q5 made a substantial contribution to this growth. Deliveries rose strongly in China at 38.5 percent. In the USA (+7.5 percent) and Europe (+8.6 percent), too, January deliveries topped the figures from the prior-year month.
"Although the general economic situation in certain European countries remains challenging, we've managed to achieve a very successful start to the year in all regions of the world," says Luca de Meo, Member of the Board of Management for Sales and Marketing at Audi AG. "Our popular SUV models and the new A3 family will help to continue our pattern of growth in 2013," he added.
In January 2013, around 37,678 customers in China opted for a model with the four rings – a 38.5 percent increase on a year ago. In 2012, the Chinese New Year celebrations fell in January, resulting in fewer sales days due to the holidays; in 2013, the New Year celebrations will be held in February. In Audi's largest sales market, the locally produced A4 L (+30.0 percent), Q5 (+55.1 percent) and A6 L models proved particularly popular last month. Around 13,657 customers received their keys to the long-wheelbase luxury-class saloon (+52.9 percent).
Worldwide, the sales figures for the Audi midsize model lines A4, A5 and Q5 posted strong growth (around 50,800 units, an increase of 24.6 percent).
In Germany, sales of the popular Q5 rose by 70.1 percent to 1,553 units, while the A4 family increased by nearly 2,100 units. Overall, Audi posted an increase of 11.8 percent in its domestic market, equivalent to 14,611 automobiles sold. In the UK, too, Audi sold 9,878 units on the back of significant growth of 15.3 percent – also due to increased demand for the midsize models. For example, deliveries of the A5 Sportback increased by 48.1 percent and those of the Q5 by 54.4 percent.
The carmaker also performed well in January in those markets where the general economic situation was already proving challenging over the past few months. Demand for the models with the four rings in Spain rose by 8.6 percent to 2,754 units and in Italy by 3.9 percent to 3,767 units. In France, the company managed to maintain delivery totals on a par with the prior-year figure (4,011 units, +/-0 percent). In Eastern Europe, the markets continued to perform well, with Russia driving growth. Audi managed to increase sales here by 19.8 percent, selling 1,725 units in total.
Also in the United States, the Ingolstadt-based carmaker's sales figures for last month exceeded January 2012 deliveries – making it the most successful start to the year in Audi's US history: Audi increased its sales by 7.5 percent to 10,056 units. The midsize models also proved successful here, with US sales increasing by around 13.6 percent year-on-year overall. Mexico (sales up 48.6 percent) and Brazil (sales up 25.0 percent) posted other significant growth rates in the America sales region in January.
In India, Audi sold a total of 737 unit during January 2013, a 10.5 percent growth over the 667 units sold in January 2012. The carmaker, which launched its R8 in three variants in India last month, has targeted record sales of over 10,000 units in 2013. After posting 63 percent growth in 2012 (2011 sales: 5,511 units) with sales of 9,003 cars, 372 units behind No 1 player BMW India (2012 sales: 9,375 units), it now aims to cross 10,000-unit sales in 2013. If it does cross that figure, it will become the first luxury carmaker to achieve that landmark in the Indian market. The figure the carmaker is aiming at is 10,800 units, a 20 percent increase over its 2012 sales.