Audi Leap Frogs Mercedes and BMW
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Senior European Editor
Amsterdam Bureau
The Auto Channel
INGOLSTAD, Germany - February 17, 2009: Last January, Audi surpassed its competitors Mercedes-Benz and BMW already on the Germany market. Now it did the same on the Western European market. In the first month of this year, Audi sold 45.124 new cars in this region, increasing its market share to 5.1 percent of the vehicle registrations, up from 3.9 percent for the same month a year ago.
Audi said that the figures show that the company proceeds in the upward trend of recent months, as the last quarter of 2008, it’s market share was continuously above 5 percent.
Peter Schwarzenbauer, member of the Borad of Management for Sales and Marketing of Audi AG, said the success is due to the brand’s young model range. Last year, Audi launched twelve new models.
Schwarzenbauer: “We must offer appealing and sporty models that stir enthusiasm among Audi fans, vehicles that are also highly energy efficient and have a low fuel consumption. In 2009. We will remain on the offensive.”
This year, Audi plans to introduce six new models and by 2015, the customers have a choice of 40 models. Audi is investing 2 billion euro (2.5 billion dollar) annually in R&D.
At the North American Auto Show, last January in Detroit, Audi unveiled the concept Sportback and the R8 V-10. In March, the brand with the four rings will put the new A5 Convertible, A4 allroad.on stage.
