AUDI breaks the one million sales barrier

This morning’s pat on the back goes to AUDI for breaking the one million sales barrier for the first time in the brand’s history.

Selling 1,003,400 cars worldwide in 2008, AUDI increased sales some 4.1 percent over the previous year (964,151 units).

December proved to be an especially good month with the newly introduced Audi Q5 and the revamped A4 series increasing year-on-year sales for that month by 17.4 percent.

“This 13th record year in a row is a success achieved by the entire AUDI team. I would like to express the gratitude of the Board of Management for your wholehearted commitment,” says Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG. “We’ll continue to draw on this strength in the difficult year of 2009. We have ambitious long-term goals: We want to make Audi the most attractive premium brand worldwide.”

In the past year, the German marque has launched 12 new or upgraded models giving it the advantage of having the youngest model range in the premium segment. The most important introductions were the A4 sedan, which was rolled out in Europe in November 2007, the A4 Avant which followed in April, product upgrades of the A3 and A6, and the release of the aforementioned Q5.

“We will keep up our model initiative as planned: In 2009 we’ll continue to offer our customers a succession of new models,” says Peter Schwarzenbauer, Member of the Board of Management for Marketing and Sales of AUDI AG.

In Australia, AUDI delivered 598 cars in December, totalling 9,410 units for the full year 2008, an increase of 30.2% over the previous year (7,225 units).