Audi :Made In China Cars 2002 Sales Up

SHANGHAI January 23, 2003; Dow Jones China Bureau reported that Audi AG , the luxury arm of Volkswagen Group, said Thursday that sales of its locally made Audi A6 sedan rose to 35,000 units last year from 29,000 in 2001.

Sales of its imported cars totaled 1,500 last year. No comparison was available.

Among the cars imported last year were the Audi A8 limousine, the A4 sedan, the Audi TT sports car, and Audi's multipurpose vehicle, it said in a statement.

"Audi China attributes its continued success to the introduction of new Audi models to meet the diverse lifestyle needs of Chinese customers," the company said in a statement.

The Audi A6 is manufactured by a joint venture between Volkswagen, Audi, and FAW Group Corp., China's largest automobile maker.

Audi said that it has 63 dealers in China.

Audi's global sales last year rose 2.1% to 742,000 cars, it said.