Volkswagen group luxury brand Audi said it may further increase production in Germany during the second quarter after adding shifts in past months due to strong demand for premium cars from China and Europe.
The automaker is running 53 additional production shifts at its two biggest Germany-based plants in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm between January and the end of April, a spokeswoman told Reuters, confirming a report published in Automobilwoche.
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“I’m pretty sure that special-shift operations will continue” beyond April, the spokeswoman said. “The situation continues to look very stable.”
Audi has yet to work out details of further additional shifts with labour representatives, the spokeswoman said, adding that the 53 special shifts agreed for the first four months are all run on weekend days.
Audi increased sales in China by 37% in March to 47,636 vehicles, the news agency noted.
Audi may outsell Mercedes-Benz for a fourth straight year in 2014, chief executive Rupert Stadler was quoted by Automobilwoche as saying in an interview. That would place it second luxury car maker only to BMW.
