Audi sold a record tally of cars in China in the first half of the year.
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Including Hong Kong, 66,866 cars were delivered between January and June, up 11% on the first half of 2008, the automaker said. Audi, which claims to lead the Chinese premium segment, set a new sales record in June with 13,265 cars, up 28%.
The company said that its long wheelbase A4L (one of several models specially stretched by German automakers for the market, where chauffeurs are common) had posted a major jump in sales, with 3,247 units delivered in June.
13,654 units of the A4L, launched last January, were sold in the first half, up 26%. The A4L is produced exclusively for China and was the first long wheelbase model in the luxury midsize class.
“This sales record shows us that we’ve made the right choices for the Chinese market, and that our model strategy is matched to the tastes of the Chinese customer,” said Audi sales and marketing chief Peter Schwarzenbauer.
Sales of the stetched A6L grew 8% in the first half to 46,356 units.
Among imported models, Q7 SUV sales increased 12% in the first half-year to 2,981 units while the A5 coupé – introduced last year – sold 452 units, tripling its volume.
Audi has been in China since 1988 and builds the A4L and A6L in Changchun with joint venture partner FAW, which also builds the parent company’s VW models locally.
Audi’s Chinese dealer network totals 137 outlets in 95 cities.
