Audi sales steamroller continues with new models, upgrades

Audi wasn't at the Australian International Motor Show, but that shouldn't be taken as a sign the German importer has given up on the local market. Far from it...

With sales of 7405 units for the year to date, Audi is nearly 2000 units ahead of Lexus with three months of the year remaining. Audi's sales figures for this year are already ahead of the whole of 2007, when it finished almost a thousand units behind Lexus.

By 2015, the company aims to sell as many as 15,000 units for the year, according to Joerg Hofmann, Audi's local MD (pictured). Hofmann cites Australia's prime position in the Audi world as testament to the further sales growth potential for the prestige maker.

"Australia is the number one growth market in the Audi world," he said recently at a media forum outlining the company's future plans. At 30.7 per cent growth, the local market is even outstripping the 'BRIC' markets (Brazil, Russia, India and China).

Hofmann described 2008 as "A difficult year for the whole automotive industry", but also expects Audi to post a new sales record of around 9000 units for the year. His optimism springs from Audi's sustained sales growth since 2004, when the factory took the franchise back from the previous distributor, Singaporean company, Cycle & Carriage. According to Hofmann, Audi's growth in Australia over that period has shown constant progression against Australia's GDP (Gross Domestic Product).

"We believe we should be able to grow in a tough economy. I am 100 per cent sure Audi will still grow."

With Hofmann at the media forum, Audi's General Manager for Marketing, Immo Buschman revealed a number of new models and upgrades due for release in coming months.

Here already, the upgraded the Q7 SUV now features seven-seat capacity as standard, right across the range -- with the proviso that buyers not requiring seven seats can opt to delete the third row seating from the specification. In other changes to the model, an 'Intelligent key' is a new feature introduced to facilitate easier servicing, and the large SUV also adopts the 'Smart Beam' headlight function to dip the headlight beam when it detects on-coming traffic.

In addition, Audi has up-specced the Technik package -- available as a $7203 option for the Q7's V6 variants -- with the inclusion of four-zone climate control. Audi will further boost the range with the launch of the Q7 V12 TDI diesel variant some time during the first half of 2009. The new variant will deliver 1000Nm of torque, making it the most powerful diesel SUV in the world.

For its A4 range, Audi has introduced the 2.0-litre TFSI engine in six-speed manual quattro and Multitronic (CVT) FWD variants, along with the 3.0-litre TDI turbodiesel engine coupled to a Tiptronic (automatic) transmission and quattro final drive. All the new variants are sedans only.

The turbo petrol four-cylinder engine for the manual/quattro variant develops 155kW of power and 350Nm of torque. Tuned for the CVT and front-wheel drive application, the engine produces 132kW of power and 320Nm of torque. Audi claims fuel consumption figures of 7.1L/100km for the lower-powered front-wheel drive model and 7.4L/100km for the quattro variant.

As the most powerful diesel engine in the A4 range, the 3.0-litre TDI V6 is rated at 176kW of power and 500Nm of torque, but uses as little as 6.9L/100km, which means that it is exempt from the Luxury Car Tax.

Prices for the new A4 variants, which go on sale this month are: $58,537 for the A4 2.0 TFSI Multitronic, $70,189 for the A4 2.0 TFSI quattro and $85,056 for the A4 3.0 TDI.

The same 3.0 TDI V6 is slated for the A5 coupe next month, priced at $93,894 and driving through a six-speed Tiptronic auto to the quattro drive system. Power, torque and fuel consumption figures are as for the A4 counterpart.

This quarter, the company will also launch the A3 Sportback 1.4 TFSI with S Tronic (twin-clutch manual) transmission, the S3 Sportback 2.0 TFSI quattro manual and the RS6 Avant quattro Tiptronic. Audi advises that the 1.4-litre TFSI A3 Sportback will produce 92kW of power, 200Nm of torque and return a fuel consumption figure of 5.8L/100km.

For the first quarter of next year, the company will bring in the A6 3.0 TFSI quattro Tiptronic and the RS6 Avant quattro Tiptronic.

During the second quarter, Audi has plans to release the S4 and S4 Avant, the Q5 SUV, the Q7 V12 TDI and the TT 2.0 TDI.

Currently, the company is evaluating the A4 Avant 2.7 TDI with Multitronic, the TT 2.0 TDI quattro manual and the A6 2.0 TDI Multitronic for the local market. At least two of those variants would likely incur the '7.0L/100km' exemption for the Luxury Car Tax if brought to Australia.

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