BWI: Audi India: Record Sales in 2008

Press release from Business Wire India
Source: Audi
Wednesday, January 07, 2009 02:33 PM IST (09:03 AM GMT)
Editors: General: Consumer interest; Business: Advertising, PR & marketing, Automotives, Business services, Financial Analyst; Automotive
Release no: 18862
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Audi India: Record Sales in 2008


Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, Wednesday, January 07, 2009 -- (Business Wire India) -- -- Audi India Managing Director Benoit Tiers: "Audi has exceeded expectations and will continue growing in India"

-- 1,050 vehicle units sold in 2008

-- Increase of 201 percent to previous year

Audi, the German luxury car manufacturer announced today its sales figures for the calendar year 2008. Audi India's vehicle sales volume countrywide grew by 201 percent to 1,050 cars as compared to 349 units in 2007. In spite of the adverse market situation the last quarter has been impressive for Audi India as sales grew by 229 percent to 273 units as compared to 83 units in 2007. The month of December saw an increase of 145 percent to 76 cars as compared to 31 cars in December 2007.

"The year 2008 has been an exciting time for Audi India as we not only have achieved but exceeded our projected targets despite the overall slowdown in the automobile market. Having tripled our dealership network as compared to the previous year we are confident that we will take the brand even further to another level in 2009. Believing in the core brand value 'Vorsprung durch Technik' Audi looks forward to become the most successful premium brand in India in the coming years," said Benoit Tiers, Managing Director Audi India.

In 2008 Audi launched the new Audi A4 and the super sports car Audi R8 in India. The Audi A4 recorded impressive sales in the last quarter and the Audi R8 was sold out for 2008 even before the official launch.

As a manufacturer of progressive, sophisticated and technically perfect luxury cars, Audi's aura of glamour and lifestyle was associated with several high profile events in India in 2008 which included sponsoring of the leading fashion event of the year, Wills Lifestyle Fashion Week, the IIFA awards, Zubin Mehta's Concerts and many more. The unveiling of the spectacular sports car Audi R8 in Delhi in November 2008 was as much a style statement as it was a launch of a high performance super sports car.

The year 2008 also confirmed Audi's faith in the world's most promising automotive markets. In autumn 2007 Audi India already successfully started local production of the world's most successful luxury sedan in its class - the Audi A6 - followed by CKD-production of the new Audi A4 from October 2008 onwards at the group site at Aurangabad.

In order to provide full benefit to its customers, Audi India announced recently a price reduction of its homologated models in India following the government's announcement of revision of excise duty and central value added tax (Cenvat) by four percent. The prices resulted in a reduction of INR 2,79,000 of the Audi A8, INR 1,85,000 of the Audi Q7, INR 1,51,000 of the Audi A6 and INR 1,21,000 of the Audi A4. Mid of December Audi India also declared a special offer for its customers - a zero percent financing rate and an extended four-year warranty for the Audi A6 range in India.

The Audi model range in India comprising the new Audi A4, the Audi A6, the Audi A8, the Audi Q7, the Audi TT and Audi R8 is available at present at twelve dealerships across the country: in Delhi, Gurgaon, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Ludhiana, Chennai, Kochi and Kolkata.

AUDI AG

AUDI AG develops and produces cars for the luxury car segment worldwide. The company achieved its twelfth consecutive record year in 2007, with 964,151 cars sold and a revenue of 33,617 million Euros and profit before tax of 2,915 million Euros, the company attained its best figures ever. Audi produces vehicles in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm (Germany), Gyor (Hungary), Changchun (China) and Brussels (Belgium). At the end of 2007, production of Audi A6 and in October 2008 production of Audi A4 started in Aurangabad, India. The company is active in more that 100 markets worldwide. AUDI AG's wholly owned subsidiaries include Lamborghini S.p.A in Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy, and quattro GmbH in Neckarsulm. Audi employs more than 54,000 people worldwide, including 45,000 in Germany. The brand with the four rings invests more than ?2 billion each year in order to sustain the company's technological lead embodied in its "Vorsprung durch Technik" slogan.

Authorized Dealer Showrooms:

Audi Ahmedabad - Rudra-Path, S.G. Road, Ahmedabad
Audi Bangalore - Survey No. 6/1, Beratana Agrahara, 15th KM, Hosur Main Road
Audi Chandigarh - Plot No. 171, Industrial Area, Phase I
Audi Delhi - F 85, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase I
Audi Gurgaon - Orchid Centre, Sector - 54, Golf Course Road
Audi Hyderabad - 8-2-684/A, Road No.12, Banjara Hills
Audi Pune - Pro1 Business Centre, Plot No. 395 + 396, Senapati Bapat Road, Shivajinagar
Audi Mumbai - 81, Dr. Annie Besant Road

Authorized Dealer Sales Office:
Audi Chennai
Audi Kochi
Audi Kolkata
Audi Ludhiana

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Audi A6
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CONTACT DETAILS
Bettina Bernhardt, General Manager, Audi, +91 (0) 22 2054 7210, bettina.bernhardt@audi.de
Gaurav Sinha, Manager, Audi, +91 (0)12 4471 1813, gaurav.sinha@audi.in
Abhinav Srivastava, Comma Consulting, +91 (022) 40562500/ +91 9892323750, abhinav.srivastava@comma.in
Pratip Biswas, Comma Consulting, +91 (022) 40562500/ +91 9987022573, pbiswas@comma.in

KEYWORDS
CONSUMER, MARKETING, AUTOMOTIVE, BUSINESS SERVICES, Financial Analyst, AUTOMOTIVE

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