Audi gunning for number two

Audi has its sights set on displacing BMW as the number two in Australia's luxury car marketplace, and the Volkswagen Group's premium brand has a target date of 2016 -- if it doesn’t match or beat its Bavarian rival in 2015.

Motoring.com.au has learned of significant increases in Audi dealer’s sales targets for 2015 in recent weeks. In marketplaces like Melbourne, where the brand is significantly out-performed by BMW, those forecast increases are in some cases more than 25 per cent.

When quizzed at this week’s international launch of the facelifted A1 Sportback, Audi Australia spokesperson Anna Burgdorf would not comment on specific dealer targets but confirmed the company was “positioning itself for significant growth”.

“We may not pass them in 2015 but 2016 is certainly a target,” Burgdorf told motoring.com.au.

“We have consistently posted strong growth over the last few years and we’d like to see that growth continue and accelerate. We can’t control what they do, but we are serious about our next phase of growth [in Australia]."

To this end, while Audi has a plethora of model upgrades to come next year, 2016 will see at least one additional model arrive in the form of the all-new Q1 mini-SUV, plus more variants – including plug-in hybrid versions -- of existing models.

Audi implemented an aggressive growth strategy in the Noughties which saw it grow from less than 3000 units overall in 2000 to almost 13,000 by 2010. Since then it has grown its local volume to more than 16,000 units in 2013. To November this year, Audi has posted 17,669 registrations (up almost 21 per cent), according to VFACTS.

This compares to 20,522 (2013) and 20,802 (November YTD) local registrations for BMW. Audi’s local growth rate so far in 2014 is close to double that of BMW's.

By way of comparison, luxury market leader Mercedes-Benz registered a total of 27,547 vehicles last year and has logged more than 29,200 so far in 2014. Note, however, that includes heavy trucks and light commercial vehicles, none of which are included in Audi's or BMW’s volumes.

Internationally Audi has delivered significant growth in the last five years and it is the brand’s stated aim to be the world’s top selling luxury marque.

Audi has one of the most extensive product portfolios in the luxury segment and the A3 range is currently its top-seller Down Under, where the German brand's product onslaught will continue next year.

Importantly, given Australia’s love affair with SUVs, it has offerings in the compact, medium and large luxury SUV segments and, in 2016, will add a new Q1 baby SUV based on the existing A1 Sportback.

Around September 2015 it will launch an all-new Q7 flagship, which will also be offered in revolutionary new diesel-electric plug-in hybrid (e-tron) form by early 2016.

As we've reported, however, Audi does not own the Q2, Q4 or Q6 trademarks, so the TT Offroad concept is expected to become a de facto Q2 or Q4, while a higher-riding A5 Sportback-based crossover will take care of Q6 duties and there are also plans for a flagship Q8 – essentially a more stylish version of the new Q7.

Also in 2015, the final version of the R8, the LMX, is due in January, the new TT coupe is slated for release in February and the updated A1 arrives in May, by which time Audi Australia’s first hybrid — the A3 e-tron – will also be on sale here.

Also due here by mid-2015 are midlife makeovers for the A6 range (sedan-only, except for the upgraded A6 Allroad and RS 6 Avant) and the A7 Sportback line-up, including their S7 and RS 7 derivatives.

Audi's 2015 rollout continues with the TT Roadster, S versions of both the TT Coupe and Roadster, the facelifted Q3 and RS Q3 and the all-new RS 3 Sportback.

During its initial growth phase Down Under, the company proactively used dealer demonstrator programs to attract buyers to the brand. Expect Audi to employ a similar strategy this time around. This is especially so given an all-new A4/A5 range, previously the company’s key volume line-up, is not on the cards until at least 2016.

Audi is also due to be revealed globally next year but unlikely to reach Oz until 2016 are the second-generation R8 supercar and an all-new A8 limousine previewed by Audi's Prologue concept. The striking show car also provides clues to Audi's next-generation A6 and A7 both of which will also be available in plug-in form.

Alongside all this, Audi is also expected to significant increase its marketing and sponsorship efforts Down Under. It recently confirmed its sponsorship of the International Champions Cup soccer tournament which will see three high-profile European clubs play matches at the MCG in July.

“We’re increasing our investment in a range of strategic activities and relationships. We have a very busy year ahead of us in terms of brand activities, sponsorships and the like,” said Burgdorf.

Audi Australia's new model rollout: