Audi CEO Rupert Stadler says Audi’s new-project plan count for the Chinese market is rapidly rising, and that he will seek more production synergies in China with VW. This organization will help Audi to see, feel and learn what Chinese customers want now and for the future.
Stadler expects sales of premium cars to continue to grow strongly here despite a recent slowdown in Chinese new-car sales. “China’s luxury car market has grown at 30 percent each year over the past three years,” he said. He expects China’s total new-car market to rise to about 8 million in 2015 from 5.5 million cars this year.
Audi’s new China unit will help the carmaker fight off challenges from rivals BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Both currently lag far behind Audi in China, but each has ambitious plans to boost sales in the country.
In 2007, Audi sold 100,000 cars in China, BMW sold 32,000 and Mercedes sold 7,000.