Audi Middle East vehicle sales up 27 per cent

With a sales increase of 27 percent compared to the same period in the previous year (January to June 2006 = 1916 / 2005 = 1513), the Audi brand has grown strongest in its core markets of Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Syria.

The company achieved its highest growth rates for the first six months in the C-segment. With a total of 370 units delivered in the GCC, the Audi A6 ranks as the company's best selling model. Audi's recently introduced performance SUV, the Q7, reported a 24% contribution to sales in the month of June and is expected to impact strongly on the second half sales of 2006, providing a major share of the company's Middle East sales target of 10,000 units by 2009. Sales were especially driven through consumer experience events, for example the quattro tour travelling through six regional markets with the Audi A6 3.2 quattro, and massive outdoor and print campaigns.

Since its establishment as a fully owned subsidiary of AUDI AG in July 2005, Audi Middle East has been focusing on qualitative growth and a strategy geared towards the long term. Audi importers across the region are investing heavily in new facilities and training. Audi Qatar is expected to finish its new Audi Centre and service facility by mid August 2006, Audi Jordan has just opened its new showroom earlier this week, and other markets are following suit under the guidance of Audi Middle East.

Audi Middle East plays an important role in AUDI AG's strategy in becoming increasingly less dependent on German domestic demand and to develop even more into a globally active company. "It is important to exhaust the potential of existing markets. But it is equally important to open up new markets," explained Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG.
AUDI AG

AUDI AG again set a new record for vehicle sales in the first half of 2006. Worldwide, around 463,500 new cars (January to June 2005 = 421,965) were handed over to their owners. This represents growth of 9.8 percent compared with the same period of last year. "Audi is now on course to establish its eleventh sales record in succession for the year as a whole. Our aim is to sell 50,000 more vehicles in 2006 than we did last year, when we also set a new sales record," commented Winterkorn.

In all, sales records were established in 39 markets worldwide in the first half of 2006. Germany remains Audi's biggest sales market, followed by Central Europe with Great Britain, Italy, Spain and France. Audi achieved its highest growth rates during the first six months of 2006 in the Chinese market (including Hong Kong). The brand with the four rings recorded an increase of 94.2 percent there, making a total of 38,838 units sold (19,996 in the previous year).

AUDI AG is continuing to build in 2006 on the success achieved in the record year of 2005 in terms of vehicle sales. "We are supplementing our A3, A4, A6 and A8 model lines with fascinating new models," stated Winterkorn. "We are aiming to break through the magic sales barrier of one million vehicles as early as the end of 2008. And that will just be an intermediate goal. By the year 2015 we plan to be selling at least 1.4 million vehicles a year," said Winterkorn to the company's shareholders.