Audi Rides Outstanding Year-End Sales to Strongest U.S. Imported Luxury Car Market Share Gain in 2009

HERNDON, Va., Jan. 5 /PRNewswire/ --

• Audi December sales jump 17.1%; U.S. market share gain expected to be largest in luxury car segment
• December was the best month ever for the Audi Q5 and A5, best month of year for A3, A4, A6 and Q7
• Clean diesel TDI models make up 53% of A3 sales, 43% of Q7 sales

Audi today reported December U.S. sales of 9,030 luxury performance cars and SUVs, a result that ensured Audi will show the biggest 2009 U.S. market share gain of any imported luxury car brand.

December 2009 ranked as the sixth-best month and the third-best December for the Audi brand in the U.S.

The December 2009 sales represent a 17.1% increase from year-earlier December sales of 7,712 vehicles. The strong 2009 December sales pace more than accounted for the two additional sales days in the latest selling period. Despite the economic turmoil that lingered throughout 2009, Audi sold 82,716 vehicles during the year compared to 87,760 in 2008.

Audi expects its December 2009 U.S. imported luxury car share to wind up well ahead of the 7.8% share it registered in December 2008. For all of 2009, Audi expects to see its market share approach a record level of greater than 8% compared to 7.1% in 2008.

"Audi clearly showed that it is the luxury brand on the move in 2009," said Johan de Nysschen, President, Audi of America. "The exceptional consumer response to the Audi Q5 crossover, the exhilarating R8 5.2 quattro, the all-new A5 and S5 Cabriolet models, and the all-new S4 performance sedan provided compelling proof of our progress."

American consumers also showed last year a new appreciation for Audi TDI clean diesel technology, de Nysschen noted. By year-end, TDI models accounted for 43% of Q7 and 53% of A3 sales. Audi initially expected TDI models to make up 18-20% of the sales mix for the Q7 and A3 lines. December 2009 also saw the new Audi A3 TDI win the 2010 Green Car of the Year Award at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

"We will look back at 2009 as a turning point for American understanding of the advantages provided by Audi TDI clean diesel technology, in terms of reduced fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions," de Nysschen said.

Collectively, December sales ended the year on a high note for the Audi brand with two models setting all-time sales records and four more posting the strongest results of 2009.

Achieving best months of all time were both the Q5 and A5 models. The crossover Q5 sold 1,717 units in December, surpassing the record set a month earlier in November. Meanwhile, the A5, which was recently named "2010 Best Luxury Car Resale Value" award winner by Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com, also experienced its strongest sales ever in December with 1,382 units sold.

Several models, including the A3, A4, A6 and Q7, posted their best sales of the year in December.

Audi has its sights set on significant sales stories heading into 2010, led by the arrival of the all-new A8 luxury performance sedan, which enjoyed a worldwide debut in Miami in late November and will go on sale in the fall of 2010 as a 2011 model.

"With the new A8, American consumers will see Audi reshape the hierarchy at the top end of the luxury car sector," de Nysschen said. "The Audi brand's flagship vehicle will redefine the limits of technology and engineering among luxury vehicles.

ABOUT AUDI

Audi of America Inc. and its 270 dealers offer a full line of German-engineered luxury vehicles. The Audi lineup is one of the freshest in the industry with 23 models, including 12 models launched during model years 2008 and 2009. Audi is among the most successful luxury automotive brands globally. In selling one million vehicles worldwide in 2008, AUDI AG recorded its 13th consecutive record year for sales growth. Visit www.audiusa.com or www.audiusanews.com for more information regarding Audi vehicle and business issues.

    AUDI US SNAPSHOT
    ----------------
                                                  Dec-09     Dec-08
                     Dec-09   Dec-08   Yr/Yr %     YTD        YTD      Yr/Yr %
    Model Line       Actual   Actual   Change     Actual     Actual    Change
    ----------       ------   ------   -------    ------     ------    -------

    A3                  572      361     58.4%     3,874      4,759     -18.6%
    A4                3,555    3,854     -7.8%    37,070     43,343     -14.5%
    A5                1,382      657    110.4%     9,800      6,282      56.0%
    A6                  796    1,218    -34.6%     6,786     11,956     -43.2%
    A8                  105      120    -12.5%     1,463      2,825     -48.2%
    Audi Q5           1,717        0      0.0%    13,790          0       0.0%
    Audi Q7             676    1,207    -44.0%     7,299     13,209     -44.7%
    R8                   52      115    -54.8%       699        900     -22.3%
    TT                  175      180     -2.8%     1,935      4,486     -56.9%
    Total Audi Sales  9,030    7,712     17.1%    82,716     87,760      -5.7%

NOTES:

- A4 includes Audi A4 sedan, Avant, and RS models.

- A5 includes Audi A5 coupe' and S5 coupe' models.

- A6 includes Audi A6 sedan, S6 sedan and A6 Avant models.

- A8 includes Audi A8 sedan, A8L sedan, and S8 sedan models.

- TT includes Audi TT coupe' and TT roadster models

SOURCE Audi of America Inc.