Germany: strong earnings for Audi in a weak overall market
• Significant growth for Audi in the United Kingdom, France and Italy despite weak overall market
• Worldwide sales: around 67,700 cars, up 2.0 percent from last year.
Audi has achieved considerable growth in important European markets, in some cases despite unfavorable general conditions: sales during the traditional vacation month of August in Europe (excluding Germany) increased by 5.2 percent to 26,442 cars (last year: 25,144). The front-runners in terms of growth included the major markets of Italy, the United Kingdom and France. Audi also experienced growth in Germany during August. Sales of around 67,700 cars were achieved worldwide, 2.0 percent more than during the same month last year (66,409).
“Our sales figures confirm the strength of the Audi brand,” said Peter Schwarzenbauer, Member of the Board of Management for Marketing and Sales of AUDI AG. “Despite difficult general conditions in some European markets, we’ve been able to grow sales and expand our market share. Thanks to good order levels, especially for the new Audi A3, A4 and A5, we’ll be able to continue this trend.”
Front-runners among major European markets showing significant growth during the vacation month of August include Italy, which was up 25.4 percent to 3,205 (2,556)*, the United Kingdom, which was up 5.6 percent to 3,394 (3,215), and France, with growth of 4.0 percent to 3,340 (3,211) vehicles sold.
Other significant players among the remaining markets include Belgium with an increase of 74.9 percent to 2,193 cars sold (1,254), Greece with an increase of 22.4 percent to 601 cars (491), Denmark with 19.6 percent growth to 562 cars (470), Austria with growth of 15.4 percent to 1,197 (1,037) and Portugal (up 14.7 percent to 523; 456 last year).
In the weak overall German market, which declined by more than 10 percent, Audi also fared impressively: the brand’s sales were up 2.6 percent with 18,537 cars sold (18,063).
In Asia, the strongest rate of growth was achieved by China (including Hong Kong), where vehicle sales increased by 8.1 percent to 9,853 cars (9,116). In Australia, sales of Audi cars were up by almost 22 percent, with a total of 751 cars sold (617).
Sales in America declined by 12.9 percent, primarily due to the slumping overall market in the USA, as the new Audi A4 is only now being introduced to the market there. In the United States, 6,406 Audi cars were sold in August, which is 15.9 percent less than in August 2007 (7,620).
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