The Audi brand beat its 2017 results by 10.9 percent in August with around 153,900 premium automobiles sold. Among the core regions the number of deliveries grew most strongly in Europe (+21.5%). Here the deliveries of models in stock as part of the switch to WLTP and model changeovers continued to have a positive effect on the sales figures. North America (+5.1%) and China (+6.0%) also saw positive growth in the past month. Audi delivered more than 1,268,550 automobiles to customers (+5.5%) since January.
“The renewed increase in deliveries underscores the Audi brand’s appeal. At the same time, we continue to focus on the difficult next few months with the switch to WLTP and the model initiative,” says Bram Schot, interim CEO and Board member for Sales and Marketing at AUDI AG. “In addition, we are ushering in a new era for our company with our first fully electric car, the Audi e-tron.” The Audi e-tron will be celebrating its world premiere on September 17 in San Francisco. Through 2025 more than 20 new electrified automobiles will be augmenting the portfolio of the Four Rings.
Total sales for the month in the region of North America proved positive, with around 25,400 deliveries representing an increase of 5.1 percent. Cumulative sales of around 183,550 Audi cars since January are up 4.6 percent year-on-year. Audi’s SUV models continue to be very popular with customers in the United States. Demand across all sporty off-roaders increased by 20.9 percent in the past month. The Audi Q5 warrants particular mention, with sales up 42.9 percent to 6,812 units in August. Furthermore, Audi delivered around one out of every three Audi Q7 models produced to an American customer since January. Across the entire product range, demand from Audi of America performed positively in August (+5.5% to 20,907 cars).
In Europe, the premium manufacturer continued to benefit from the extraordinary effect of deliveries of models in stock as part of the switch to the WLTP test cycle and the model initiative (+21.5% to around 60,200 units). As stocks are sold off the impact of this trend is diminishing. The new WLTP test cycle came into effect on September 1. Automakers can now only register their automobiles based on the previous NEDC test cycle with special approvals, depending on the legislation in the particular country.
The three largest European markets reported strong growth with deliveries in August. The UK saw sales increase 19.5 percent to 7,523 cars, sales were up 66.1 percent to 5,305 cars in Spain, while sales rose 17.7 percent to 22,216 cars in Germany.
In China, Audi benefited from its local premium compact segment last month, with dealers delivering 8,299 Audi A3 models, a year-on-year increase of 15.3 percent. 14,857 Chinese customers opted in August for the A4 which is also produced in the Middle Kingdom, equivalent to an increase in sales of 29.5 percent. Sales of all Audi models in China increased by 6.0 percent to 57,453 units last month. As such, the company achieved its strongest August result in its history. In the year to date, Audi also set a new record with 417,234 cars delivered and an increase of 15.8 percent.
| Sales AUDI AG |
In August | Cumulative | ||||
| 2018 | 2017 | Change from 2017 | 2018 | 2017 | Change from 2017 | |
| World | 153,900 | 138,838 | +10.9% | 1,268,550 | 1,202,049 | +5.5% |
| Europe | 60,250 | 49,581 | +21.5% | 579,000 | 577,552 | +0.2% |
| – Germany | 22,216 | 18,869 | +17.7% | 211,796 | 210,112 | +0.8% |
| – UK | 7,523 | 6,297 | +19.5% | 110,265 | 109,107 | +1.1% |
| – France | 5,059 | 3,674 | +37.7% | 38,846 | 41,613 | -6.6% |
| – Italy | 2,819 | 3,394 | -16.9% | 44,103 | 45,710 | -3.5% |
| – Spain | 5,305 | 3,194 | +66.1% | 43,442 | 38,470 | +12.9% |
| United States | 20,907 | 19,811 | +5.5% | 148,070 | 141,606 | +4.6% |
| Mexico | 1,403 | 1,078 | +30,1% | 9,671 | 9,138 | +5.8% |
| Brazil | 702 | 854 | -17.8% | 5,765 | 6,199 | -7.0% |
| Chinese mainland + Hong Kong | 57,453 | 54,205 | +6.0% | 417,234 | 360,225 | +15.8% |
SOUCE: AUDI
