December 2012 - Audi of America

[William Maley]

Audi sets new U.S. sales record of 139,310 vehicles in 2012; December ranks as best month ever

• Audi ends year with 24th consecutive month of record sales; all-time bests recorded across all regions, throughout model lineup

HERNDON, Va., Jan 3, 2013 - Audi today announced that 2012 was the best year, and that December 2012 was the best month, in its history of selling new vehicles in the U.S. market.

For the full year, Audi sold 139,310 new cars and SUVs to eclipse the previous sales record set a year earlier by 18.5%. Audi sales in the U.S. have increased 68.4% just since 2009.

December 2012 marked the first time Audi monthly sales have topped 13,000 units, with strong demand throughout the month pushing deliveries to 14,841 vehicles. That’s a 17.3% increase over the previous December sales record of 12,655 units in 2011. The most recent December also stands as the 24th consecutive month of record sales for Audi in the U.S. Audi began recording U.S. sales in February 1970.

“Audi is a brand with clear momentum across our model lineup and across all sectors of our operations in the U.S. market,” said Scott Keogh, President, Audi of America. “This is the result of a business model based on steady and sustainable growth plans set in motion on top of an unswerving commitment by Audi leadership to invest in new vehicles and new technologies year after year. We expect the Audi brand to continue its strong upward trajectory in the U.S. market this year.”

Last month, AUDI AG announced that despite global economic uncertainties it will invest $17 billion (13 billion euros) to develop new models, new technologies and to expand its global production capabilities through 2016.

The American market will remain a key engine of growth for Audi globally, and the strength of the brand in the U.S. was demonstrated in a wide array of measures in 2012:

• For December 2012, The Audi A8 and Audi A7 generated the best U.S. sales since the new-generation models arrived in the market. With strong demand for the Audi A6 and Audi Q7 full-sized SUV added in, Audi saw sales of its most premium models equal 32% of all Audi sales in 2012, up from 19% in 2009.
• The popular Audi Q5 crossover, the second-best seller for the brand in 2012, produced the best monthly sales since the model’s introduction.
• Sales of Audi clean diesel A3 TDI and Q7 TDI models set a new record for the year. Audi announced at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November that it will add A8 TDI, A7 TDI, A6 TDI and Q5 TDI models in 2013.
• The U.S. finished as one of the strongest global markets for performance oriented S-models. The Audi S8, S7 and S6 models introduced last fall finished 2012 as some of the fastest selling vehicles available to American car buyers.
• Each of the three Audi U.S. regions – Eastern, Southern and Western – turned in record sales for the full year. For 2013, Audi is adding a Central region to maintain a steady level of service to customers and dealers as the brand grows.
• Sales in the biggest metropolitan markets – New York, Los Angeles, South Florida – achieved record levels in 2012.
• Last year was the second-best year ever for Audi Certified pre-owned vehicle sales, overcoming limited supplies of available pre-owned vehicles. For the full year, 36,469 Audi CPO models were delivered to customers, down 2.1% from the record levels seen in 2011. December 2012 ranks as the second-best December after December 2011.

Other highlights:

• Sales mix for Audi S / RS performance models finished the month at 16% for the S4; 40.2% for the S5 coupe/ RS 5 coupe; 29.2% for the S5 Cabriolet; 6.2% for the S6; 12.6% for the S7; 14.7% for the S8; 29.5% for the TTS Roadster, and 57.6% for the TTS and TT RS coupe.
• The Audi allroad finished the month at 435 sales (in addition to two Audi A4 Avant sales), compared to 260 Audi A4 Avant sales in December 2011. For the year, allroad sales amounted to 3,115 units (in addition to 1,252 A4 Avant sales in 2012) compared to 3,505 A4 Avant sales in 2011. The Audi allroad went on sale in the summer of 2012.
• Audi A5 sales increased 23.5% compared to December 2011; YTD sales rose 12.3% compared to 2011.
• Sales of Audi A6 increased 1.1% compared to December 2011; 2012 sales rose 70.8% compared to 2011.
• Sales of Audi A8 increased to 900 units, up 32.7% compared to December 2011; YTD sales rose 5.3% compared to 2011.
• Sales of Audi Q5 increased 55.2% compared to December 2011; YTD sales rose 15.1% compared to 2011.
• Sales of Audi Q7 increased 62.5% compared to December 2011; YTD sales rose 22.3% compared to 2011.
• Sales mix for Audi TDI clean diesel models finished the month at 53.1% for the A3 TDI and 27.7% for Q7 TDI. Sales mix over all of 2012 for the A3 TDI stood at 53.4% and at 30.4% for the Q7 TDI.
• For the record-setting year, three Audi models recorded year-over-year sales increases of 20% or more – the A6, A7 and Q7.