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Unstoppable Audi?

July 9, 2012

German automaker Audi has seen sales jump considerably in the first half of 2012. Regional declines in debt-stricken southern Europe were more than compensated by rapidly increasing demand in the rest of the world.

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Workers during Audi quality check
Image: dapd

Audi, one of Volkswagen's luxury brands, on Monday reported a substantial increase in sales in the first half of the current year in most of the world. The number of cars sold between January and June was put at 733,250. The Ingolstadt-based German company sold 133,050 vehicles worldwide in June alone, up from 117,608 units in the same month of 2011.

Sales rose by 15 percent in Germany, 26 percent in the US and 20 percent in Audi's most important market outside Europe, China. Customers in that Asian country buy now buy a quarter of all Audi vehicles sold worldwide, compared to the just under 10.0 percent of units that are bought in the US.

The only region where sales dropped slightly in the period under revision were southern European nations hit hardest by the eurozone debt and banking crisis.

Ambitious targets

"Despite the tangible headwinds in southern Europe, Audi sales have been going well in all world regions," Audi Chief Executive Rupert Stadler said in a statement. "This means we're well on course to meet our goal of selling 1.4 million vehicles this year."

Stadler said Audi would attempt to score in the traditionally weaker second half of the year by introducing new models of it Q5 and A3 series. It also planned a Q3 sales offensive, with the latest of Audi's sport utility vehicle (SUV) already hitting showrooms in Japan, Brazil and South Africa and expected to make a splash in China later this month.

On its home market, Audi said it had been most successful so far with its new A6 limo and the A1 Sportback.

hg/   (AP, dpa, dapd)