Historic record year for Audi ME – 16.3% sales increase

AMMAN, Jordan - Feb. 20, 2014 - PRLog -- Historic record year for Audi ME – 16.3% sales increase

Dubai, January 15, 2014 – Audi Middle East sold 10,647 cars in the past year, exceeding the company’s annual sales forecasts, and thus recorded its best ever year in terms of sales. 16.3percent more cars were delivered to customers across the GCC and Levant than during the previous year. In December Audi Middle East handed 1,092cars over to their buyers, for the first time in the history of the company.

Audi Middle East plans to further concentrate on increasing capacities and quality for sales and after sales service in the region to support its growth on route to its Middle East sales target of 20,000 units annually by 2020.

“We have set a historic sales record on the Middle East market, with demand growing considerably faster than expected”, says Trevor Hill, Managing Director Audi Middle East. “We are still the fastest growing German premium brand in the Middle East. In 2014 we will continue to focus on strengthening our infrastructure backbone. Almost every dealer in the region is investing in new facilities, in line with the company’s strategy of sustainable growth.”

In the UAE, Al Nabooda Automobiles, the official dealer for Audi in Dubai and the northern Emirates, will open new dealerships in Fujairah and Sharjah, both locations will feature sales and services facilities. Furthermore, Al Nabooda continues its expansion with the construction of a new Audi Service Centre in the Al Quoz  area of Dubai.  Ali & Son’s, the official dealer for Audi in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, broke ground last May starting construction of a new Audi Terminal in Rawdat planned to be completed in 2015. The opening of a new show room in Qatar, by Q-Auto, the official dealer for Audi in Qatar, is scheduled for February. “We intend to continue our focus on capacity planning in 2014 in addition to seeking growth”, says Hill.

In 2013 the UAE was the strongest single market for Audi with a growth of 32.3percent with 4,458 units sold. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait followed closely with 1,904and 1,407sold in 2013 respectively. Overall Audi registered strong growth in all Middle East markets, apart from Syria, where business operations have been suspended.

With over 2,183 units sold, Audi’s 7-seater SUV, the Q7, is Audi’s bestselling model in the region. It generated a 36.8 percent increase in sales. The new model is expected in mid-2015.  It is followed by Audi A6 and the Audi A8 L with 1,739 and 1,705 units sold respectively.

Audi approved pre-owned car sales across the Middle East markets increased by 28.3 percent in 2013 to 2,248 units (2012: 1,752). As the demand for high quality pre-owned vehicles outstrips the supply, residual values are expected to increase further over the coming months and years. New Audi approved showrooms have opened in Dubai and Riyadh earlier in the year and will be followed by the opening of new Audi approved showrooms in Lebanon and Qatar in February 2014.

In 2013 the brand with the four rings launched the new Audi RS 4 Avant, the new R8 range and the RS 5 Cabriolet.  2014 will see the market arrival of several new Audi models like the A3 sedan, S3 sedan, RS 6 Avant and the RS7. Further new model introductions are expected to be revealed at the Qatar Motor Show in February.

The overall satisfaction in after sales of Audi customers increased by 50.9% percent compared to the same period in 2013. This was mainly achieved by continuous focus on recently implemented on-site coaching programs, increased quality control and technical coaching. As another quality program Audi has introduced the “Audi Kundentisch” as a tool to drive customer experience and further improve satisfaction with aftersales services in the Middle East Region.