Audi brakes sales record

With one month left in 2010, Audi has already broken its record of sales in one year. The previous best result dated from 2008, with total sales of 1,003,469 vehicles. From January to November 2010 Audi has already managed to beat the previous best year in the company’s history, selling around 1,003,900 cars.

After a 2009 year marked by the economical crisis, sales in 2010 have grown 15.3 percent. Much of this result is due to the increase of sales in China and growing success of the brand in the United States. In 2010 the demand in the German market is also showing signs of recovery.

“The number of orders received in Germany continues to rise, especially in the important fleet customer market. At the same time the Audi A1 is generating plenty of interest among our private customers,” commented Peter Schwarzenbauer, Member of the Board of Management for Marketing and Sales at AUDI AG . “Despite the high growth of recent months in China, Germany will once again win the head-to-head race among our biggest markets in 2010.”

Although the sales figures of the first eleven months of the year are still down by 2.9 percent in Germany, Audi’s home market is giving signs of recovery with a growth of 1 percent in November. Throughout the year Audi has sold 205,207 cars in Germany and Schwarzenbauer stated that December will help Audi to finish the year strongly thanks to the high number of orders received in recent weeks.

China continues to be a booming market for many car brands and Audi is no exception to that. For the first time ever, the German brand has reached the mark of 200,000 vehicles sold in the Chinese market. Comparing with last year’s eleven month period, Audi has managed to rise its sales by 50 percent, with a total of sold 209,752 premium cars. The sales in November have gone up by 7.2 percent, with 17,692 nits sold. “We expect that the real boom in China is still ahead of us”, Schwarzenbauer said. “Here at Audi we are preparing for a significant rise in demand next year, too.”

As for the European market, Audi is confirming its place as premium market leader. In Western Europe Audi sold in the first eleven months to around 562,800 units, rising by 3 percent. In Eastern Europe sales have risen by 15.1 percent compared to the same eleven month period of 2009, with a total of 47,800 vehicles sold.

Finally, in the U.S. market Audi continues to improve its popularity. In the second-biggest car market in the world Audi has managed to improve its sales results by 23.6 percent in the first eleven months of 2010. Having already sold 91,083 units, Audi of America is targeting to break the barrier of 100,000 cars sold for the first time ever.