Audi's local new model drive

Audi is driving a dozen new and updated models into battle between now and the end of 2019 to revitalise its showroom results.

The biggest new-product onslaught of the decade has already begun with the all-new A8 flagship, which will soon be followed by the A7 Sportback, but that’s not close to the end of the action.

Next up is the Q8 in the early part of 2019, with another nine vehicles to follow including the company’s first battery-electric vehicle, the E-Tron.

“It’s the biggest year for us in the past decade,” the recently-appointed chief marketing officer at Audi Australia, Nikki Warburton, told carsales.

“We definitely focus on the share in each of our segments. I think for us, with 12 models coming in 2019, we see it as a great opportunity for us in each of those markets.”

Audi’s share of the luxury class has been declining in recent years and, with an overall market decline through 2018 and heavy pressure at the top end, there is extra incentive to perform.

But Warburton says there is no panic, just a structured plan to bring customers into showrooms with new and revitalised models.

“This is our answer to the market situation at the moment,” she says.

“The market has flattened, yes. But it’s not just us. It’s not feasible to grow over a year, especially when the overall market has settled.

“But Audi is in a strong position in Australia and we’re selling healthy volumes and have well-managed stock levels. With such a strong onslaught arriving over the next 12 months we’re confident,” she stated.

Warburton’s appointment comes after a solid shake-up by the company’s latest managing director, Paul Sansom, who arrived in 2017 in the face of sliding sales, high stock levels and a downturn in dealer confidence. Sansom is seen as a ‘fire fighter’ in the Audi executive line-up, landing in Australia from a tough posting in South Africa, but has moved decisively.

His new marketing chief arrives at Audi with a rock-solid reputation after starting her time in the car in industry at Astre Automotive, which was the successful Hyundai and Chrysler-Jeep importer at the time.

Warburton quietly acknowledges that Audi has had some reversals over recent years, but is intent on avoiding an all-out push for big numbers in favour of a model-by-model focus for improvements in individual sales sectors.

“We’re not fixated on volume,” she says.

“We’re also concentrating on the customer experience. That’s our answer to the market situation at the moment.”

On a different topic, she says Audi Australia is still waiting to hear from Germany on the AdBlue situation which has forced the suspension of Q7 sales locally.

“It’s currently on suspended sale. We hope to have a solution as soon as possible,” she said.

On the new-model front, Audi is reluctant to give any firm timings on its new arrivals.

But all of its senior executives list the new arrivals in much the same way and, on that basis and given the January timing for the arrival of the Q8 in 2019, the batting order is expected to be: A6; A1; TT (facelift); TT-S (facelift); RS5 Sportback; Q3; E-Tron and updated R8.