Audi senior executives believe that, starting from 2005, the company has a two-year window of opportunity to close the gap on their great German rivals BMW and Mercedes-Benz in the UK and Europe for new passenger car sales.
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Speaking at this week’s press introduction of the revised Audi A4 Saloon and Avant (estate) range, which goes on sale from the beginning of January 2005, Jon Zammett, Head of Public Relations for Audi UK said, “With the introduction of our new A4 models, our best selling range, and the introduction of more new models such as the Q7 seven seat SUV, we should now overhaul our fellow German competitors, but of course nothing is ever certain.
“In sectors where we choose to compete with BMW and Mercedes our sales are on a par with them but overall without an SUV or a three-door A4, we do not have such a wide range of vehicles to compete with”.
Zammett said: “The UK is now the biggest export market for Audi in the world having overtaken the USA earlier this year and we could overtake Mercedes before the end of this year but we are not indulging in any tactical selling. Our growth for the brand will take place as we introduce new models in sectors where we do not currently compete”.
“This year Audi expect to sell between 750,000 and 800,000 new vehicles worldwide but in five years time with the Q7 and other new and additional models added to our line-up it is potentially possible for us to reach the one million mark. In the UK once Q7 is introduced early in 2006 this model alone will add up to 10,000 sales to our annual overall volume,” added Zammett.
Q7 is the seven-seat SUV production version of the Audi Pikes Peak concept 4×4 vehicle first shown at the Detroit Show in 2003.
In addition to the Q7, which is expected to cost a shade under £36,000, Audi will be introducing new A6 Avant estate models in March 2005, followed by an A4 Drophead, the high performance 425bhp RS4 Saloon and later RS4 Avant versions. A mid engine sports car is scheduled for 2006-2007.
Of the 770,000 and above sales worldwide predicted in 2004, European countries will take up half a million off these, Audi says.
Of the 18 countries which make up the Western European market, currently Audi leads its German rivals for sales in eight countries, Mercedes also lead in eight countries whilst BMW head the list in two countries. Western European sales for the first ten months of this year show Mercedes with 577,786 registrations, BMW with 473,556 and Audi with 464,628. Only BMW is showing an increase over 2003 sales at the same point of the year.
In the UK Audi expects to finish the year with 78,000 sales, an increase of eight per cent over 2003. In the first ten months of this year Audi have sold 67,984 new cars, Mercedes-Benz 70,557 and BMW 82,543.
