Audi active in winter sports

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Oct 26, 2013, 15:34 ET

Audi FIS Ski World Cup starts in Sölden (A) this weekend
Four rings are partner of FIS and 15 national teams
Ski stars Felix Neureuther and Julia Mancuso at Audi Media Talk

INGOLSTADT/SÖLDEN, Oct. 26, 2013 /CNW/ - When the new Ski World Cup season starts in Sölden (Austria) this weekend, Audi is a partner of international winter sports again. For years, the company has been backing 15 alpine national teams and the Fédération Internationale de Ski (FIS). Not only the new World Cup season but the 2015 Alpine World Ski Championships in Vail/Beaver Creek (USA) and in St. Moritz (Switzerland) in 2017 take place under the Audi flag as well.

By hosting a Media Talk in which athletes from ten alpine national teams participated, the brand with the four rings gave the traditional starting signal for the 2013/2014 Audi FIS Ski World Cup on Thursday night. In the heart of Sölden, stars such as Felix Neureuther, Aksel Lund Svindal or Julia Mancuso together with coaches, officials, guests and members of the media got in the mood for the new season that will culminate in the Olympic Games in Sochi.

Like all other venues of the World Cup Sölden will become the "Home of quattro" this weekend. The extensive winter sports commitment is the ideal stage for Audi to present the sportiness and dynamism of the brand to an international audience. The focus of this presentation is placed on the quattro four-wheel drive that unfolds its superior performance in particularly commanding style on snow and ice.

The athletes from a total of 15 alpine national teams with Audi as their partner value this as well. For nearly 30 years, the brand has been the principal sponsor of the German Ski Federation (DSV). During the summer months, Audi has extended the cooperation with many other nations. As a partner of the FIS, Audi also supports the third World Snow Day on January 19, 2014 when snow experiences for children are to be made reality around the world on this day. Last year, there were 430,000 participants from 38 nations.

In 2012, the Audi Group delivered 1,455,123 cars of the Audi brand to its customers, generated revenue of €48.8 billion and achieved an operating profit of €5.4 billion. The Audi Group is globally present in more than 100 markets and produces vehicles in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm (Germany), Győr (Hungary), Brussels (Belgium), Bratislava (Slovakia), Martorell (Spain), Kaluga (Russia), Aurangabad (India), Changchun (China) and Jakarta (Indonesia). The brand with four rings will produce cars also in Foshan (China) as of late 2013, in 2015 in São José dos Pinhais (Brazil) and 2016 in San José Chiapa (Mexico). AUDI AG's wholly owned subsidiaries include quattro GmbH (Neckarsulm), Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. (Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy) and the sports motorcycle manufacturer Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. (Bologna, Italy). The Group currently employs more than 70,000 people worldwide, including around 50,000 in Germany. Total investment of approximately €11 billion is planned by 2015 - mainly in new products and sustainable technologies. Audi lives up to its corporate responsibility and has strategically established the principle of sustainability for its products and processes. The long-term goal is CO2-neutral mobility.