Audi predicts strong year following 23% sales increase

AUDI Ireland has announced sales of 3,400 units for 2011, a year-on-year increase of 23% for Irish sales.

The company’s early order intake for Ireland is also strong for this year. The company expects strong sales, with the arrival of the Audi A4 model due in early February.

Audi Ireland managing director Andrew Doyle said: “We at Audi Ireland are thrilled to have finished 2011 as the best selling premium car brand in the market place — this is now the third year in a row. We believe that especially at these times, savvy Irish customers recognise the ideal mix of benchmark premium products, leading efficiency, and an unrivalled value and quality proposition that only Audi can provide.”

In early March, the A1 Sportback 5-door will join the new A1 3-door in the Irish market. In 2012, Audi also plans to continue the roll out of its €80m investment into Ireland, and new dealer network facilities, with a view to sustained long-term growth and benchmark industry customer care.

Worldwide, Audi sold around 1.3 million cars in 2011, beating its previous sales record from one year earlier by more than 210,200 units. The strong growth spanned all regions of the world, with China becoming Audi’s biggest single market for the first time.

In Europe, the Ingolstadt-based brand increased its unit sales by 12.1% to around 726,300 cars and it also achieved a growth rate well into double figures in the US. Audi ended the year with a new sales record in more than 50 markets.

“2011 was an unprecedented year in the history of Audi,” said Peter Schwarzenbauer, Audi AG board member for marketing and sales. “Never before have we gained so many new customers in a single year. With our new models in very high demand, business proved better than expected, specifically in Europe and the United States.”

The A8 and A6 models have been instrumental in driving Audi’s growth. The new A6 appeared in its first markets in March. Global sales of the A6 rose 12.2% to around 229,200 vehicles. Audi also increased its presence in the full-size category with the Q7, with sales up 21.4% on the previous year. The brand’s flagship A8 model actually doubled its volume, rising 101%.

In China, Audi established a new record in 2011, attributable to the surge in demand and to the completion of the Changchun plant’s expansion midway through the year creating extra production capacity.