AUDI SELLS ONE MILLION CARS IN 2008

Audi AG has achieved its objective of selling a million vehicles by the end of 2008. Last year the company sold 1 003 400 cars around the world, a brand new record for the VW-owned brand. It is the first time in its history that Audi has surpassed the 1 million units mark.

Buoyed by healthy sales of the new A4 sedan and Avant models as well as the Q5 mid-sized SUV (launching in South Africa in 2009), Audi broke its own sales records for the 13^th year in a row.

"We’ll continue to draw on this strength in the difficult year of 2009,” stated Audi board chairman Rupert Stadler. “We have ambitious long-term goals: we want to make Audi the most attractive premium brand worldwide.” Audi currently trails BMW and Mercedes-Benz respectively in world sales, but it is fast catching up to its German rivals.

This year Audi of South Africa will introduce models like the facelifted A6, TTS, Q5 mid-size SUV, the 5.2-litre R8 V10 and the mighty 426kW RS6. Some of these depend on the prevailing economic climate though so they may end up being canceled.