Audi Singapore surpasses 2008 target of 1,100 cars

"Audi Singapore continues to show stable sales despite the current financial crisis; and this speaks volumes about Audi's strengths as a maker of sporty and technically progressive cars," said Mr Reinhold Carl, Managing Director of Audi Singapore. He added that October was a strong month, with 35% growth in volume over the same month last year. Since 2007, Audi has been the fastest growing premium car brand in Singapore.

Worldwide, Audi AG sold some 82,400 automobiles to customers worldwide
in October. Sales of the premium brand rose 7.2 percent in year-on-year comparisons. During the first ten months of 2008, the Ingolstadt carmaker sold approximately 844,700 vehicles, up 3.3 percent on the same period last year.

Audi Chairman Rupert Stadler said: "Audi is performing well, but our corporate performance is increasingly influenced by declining markets." Added Peter Schwarzenbauer, Member of the Board of Management for Marketing and Sales of AUDI AG: "Despite the current economic uncertainties, we will reach our sales target of one million vehicles for 2008."

Audi registered growth both in the European as well as in the emerging Asian markets. Stable sales currently notwithstanding, AUDI AG will use the Christmas break at its Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm sites to align production to individual levels of demand. Chairman Stadler said: "In some areas of production we will take advantage
of the Christmas period to maneuver carefully into 2009."

Europe (excluding Germany) saw sales growth of 2.3 percent in the first ten months of the year where Audi delivered 388,053 vehicles to customers (2007: 379,281). Sales growth were spurred by the year's innovations: Audi A4 Avant, Audi A3 and Audi A6. A total of 34,578 cars were sold in October alone, up 9.4 percent (2007: 31,596).

In Asia Pacific, the brand with the four rings sold approximately 12,190 premium vehicles in October, 20.5 percent more than in October 2007 (10,115). In the first ten months, Audi achieved growth of 17.6 percent there, with the number of cars sold climbing to around 130,370 (2007: 110,876).

New product arrivals in Singapore in the fourth quarter 2008 will continue to lend momentum for Audi's volume strategy as it heads into 2009. "Models such as the new A6 and A3 will continue to propel growth in 2009," added Carl. These models will be joined by the new Audi A4 Avant, also slated for introduction to Singapore before the end of the year.

Credits: JRC