Audi sets new single-month sales record, beats BMW

[+Mirumir Subscriber¹]

Audi sets new single-month sales record

German carmaker Audi reported booming sales for August, making the month the best-ever in company history. Audi's premium A3 compact car is billed as the company's next top-seller.

Deliveries in August surged 14.9 percent on the same month a year ago, as Audi continued growing in all regions of the world, the German carmaker announced Monday.

As customers bought 108,100 Audi cars last month, total sales for the past eight months of 2012 reached 961,000 vehicles, up 12.7 percent compared with the same period in 2011, the subsidiary of Germany's biggest auto maker Volkswagen said.

Audi Threatens BMW?s Seven-Year Lead in Luxury Car Sales

Audi AG (NSU) trimmed Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW)?s lead in 2012 luxury-car sales to just 2,110 vehicles in August, threatening BMW?s seven-year hold on the top position in premium auto deliveries.

The Volkswagen AG (VOW) luxury brand boosted eight-month sales 13 percent to 961,000 vehicles, compared with BMW?s 7.8 percent increase to 963,110 autos, according to the two companies? monthly sales reports. BMW, the world?s largest-maker of luxury cars, led by 40,513 vehicles through August of last year.

VW is reaping the benefits from pouring 20 billion euros ($25.6 billion) into research and development at Audi since 2002. The luxury brand now sells 12 model lines, twice what it had in 2003, including three sport-utility vehicles, the A1 compact and the R8 sports car. Audi, which ranks second in premium-vehicle deliveries since overtaking Daimler AG (DAI)?s Mercedes-Benz in 2011, has a goal of beating BMW by 2020.

Audi is likely to overtake BMW several years ahead of that target unless ?there are surprising shifts in market share which I don?t expect, especially in China,? said Daniel Schwarz, a Frankfurt-based Commerzbank analyst. ?They are the strongest growing luxury brand, and they just launched the A3, which is close to being their best-selling car in a peak year.?

The updated A3 hatchback went on sale in Germany in August, three weeks ahead of Mercedes? A-Class. Mercedes plans to expand its lineup of compacts from two to at least five in the coming years, and has opened a new plant in Hungary dedicated to building smaller models. The A3, which made up 14 percent of Audi?s 2011 deliveries, starts at 21,600 euros, undercutting the A-Class?s base price of 23,978 euros.

Audi Momentum

?There will be more A-Class derivatives over the coming years,? said Commerzbank?s Schwarz. ?But the A3 is established in the market and will take the lead among the three brands, helping Audi to keep its sales momentum.?

Volkswagen advanced 70 cents, or 0.5 percent, to 142 euros in Frankfurt trading today. Munich-based BMW gained 0.9 percent to 58.53 euros, while Daimler fell 0.8 percent to 38.77 euros.

The 102,730 vehicles BMW sold in August fell short of the 108,100 sold by Audi, which also passed the BMW brand in deliveries in April and July. The VW unit?s delivery growth was led by jumps so far this year of 33 percent in China and 18 percent in the U.S., the world?s two biggest auto markets.

?Every month the figures are surprisingly good,? said Frankfurt-based Silvia Quandt analyst Albrecht Denninghoff, who rates VW neutral. ?Audi?s growth is overwhelmingly because of China, with the U.S. also playing a role.?

I gotta admit - I've made my contribution to this figure as I updated my A4 :wub: last month!

[+John Teacake MVC]

Because they make Damn good cars! Cant wait for the day I can afford an RS6 :-D

[tsupersonic]

Because they make Damn good cars! Cant wait for the day I can afford an RS6 :-D

The problem with the RS counterparts is the lack of torque! Their torque numbers aren't much (if any) different than the 'S' counterparts. This is where the M and (especially) AMG divisions win. Horsepower is great, but when it's a difference of 20-30 HP in a sea of 550+ horsepower, it's not a huge difference. The difference in torque is what you're going to notice. Remember what the great Carroll Shelby said..."Horsepower sells cars, torque wins races." Especially torque that is available at the lower end of the powerband :p

Just take a look at the 2013 RS4, 450 HP, but only a weak 317 lb/ft torque. ###### is wrong with you Audi?

[+Mirumir Subscriber¹]

This is where the M and (especially) AMG divisions win.

It doesn't look like they won over enough of customers last month :p

Seriously, this isn't a racing competition - everyone buys what they like. And having said that, I appreciate all the German cars equally the same, but it's just that my heart belongs to Audi.

Just take a look at the 2013 RS4, 450 HP, but only a weak 317 lb/ft torque. ###### is wrong with you Audi?

What good is the high torque if your transmission can't convert it effectively and efficiently?

And basing your purchasing decision on just these two numbers is just silly. You have to look at the whole package (weight, 0-200, not just 0-100) and simply follow your heart.

Cheers!

[CG-88]

Nice. The latest range of Audis are damn nice looking. One of the managers in work just got an RS6, and I think he got it tuned by "Q's tuning" I think thats the company. Mad noise from it.

Did anyone read in the newspaper about the rs6 that had the lambo engine transplanted in it that outran the police helicopter? One of 2 in the UK or something.

[tsupersonic]

It doesn't look like they won over enough of customers last month :p

Seriously, this isn't a racing competition - everyone buys what they like. And having said that, I appreciate all the German cars equally the same, but it's just that my heart belongs to Audi.

What good is the high torque if your transmission can't convert it effectively and efficiently?

And basing your purchasing decision on just these two numbers is just silly. You have to look at the whole package (weight, 0-200, not just 0-100) and simply follow your heart.

Cheers!

Yep, I do agree that Audi's should have a better launch - they have AWD. This vs. RWD, which is much harder to launch. But, most modern cars have launch control, which should help drivers launch their cars more effectively.

Take the C63 for example, it's faster than the RS4 (despite RS4 being AWD) and M3 to 60 - link 1 and link2. Mercedes seriously underrates the 0-60 in most AMG cars. It's not just about the numbers - I think the AMG is overall better - the noise is intoxicating (really, what AMG isn't), the interior is great, it's easy going when you want to relax, but at the same time can be insane. It's just the best of both worlds.

[Liquidfox]

Did anyone read in the newspaper about the rs6 that had the lambo engine transplanted in it that outran the police helicopter? One of 2 in the UK or something.

Argh, that entire article annoyed me. The 5L V10 in the RS6 IS the same engine found in the Gallardo. Nobody transplanted it, it wasn't 1 of only 2 in the country, it was just useless journalists hearing Lambo engine and Audi in the same sentence, putting 2 and 2 together and coming out with 5!

[Growled Member]

They are doing well and have really picked up their game the last little bit.

[CG-88]

Argh, that entire article annoyed me. The 5L V10 in the RS6 IS the same engine found in the Gallardo. Nobody transplanted it, it wasn't 1 of only 2 in the country, it was just useless journalists hearing Lambo engine and Audi in the same sentence, putting 2 and 2 together and coming out with 5!

You see thats what I thought as well, but when i read it I just assumed it was a murcealago engine or a tuned Gallardo engine or something.

Stupid Journalists!!

Either way - the car is a beast!!!!!!!!