Volkswagen Group premium division Audi plans to open an average of one dealership a week in China this year, according to chairman Rupert Stadler.
Sales there last year rose 29.6% year on year in a market up 9.3% and the brand was claimed to have been the first premium nameplate to sell 400,000 units in a calendar year.
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Stadler said about half of Chinese cities with over 1m residents are still without at least one Audi outlet.
“By 2017 we want to increase the number of dealerships to more than 500.
This year Audi will launch its largest training centre in the world in Beijing.
The company would continue to develop special models for local needs such as the long-wheelbase A6L – targeted at chauffeur-driven buyers and China’s best-selling premium model – and is putting special emphasis on training dealership personnel, having been earlier rewarded with a top service rating in a JD Power survey.
