Audi Q4 e-tron to bolster sales momentum

AUDI Australia says a considerable listing of latest mannequin arrivals over the approaching 24 to 36 months will additional bolster the model’s gross sales success, because it closes the hole on Mercedes-Benz.

Yr-to-date figures for 2023 present gross sales of Audi mannequin gross sales are up 31.6 per cent over the identical time final yr to fifteen,546 items – and on the right track for a best-ever gross sales yr. The quantity nonetheless falls some 4727 items behind that of traditionally stronger Mercedes-Benz, however the hole is closing at a notable charge.

Over the identical timeframe, Mercedes-Benz gross sales have fallen 12.9 per cent to twenty,273 items, giving Audi a possibility to grow to be the second-best promoting premium marque within the nation behind BMW (with 21,510 YTD unit gross sales, a rise of seven.0 per cent).

Talking with GoAuto at a media occasion geared toward showcasing a variety of a number of of its newest Audi Sport and e-tron automobiles this week, Audi Australia director, Jeff Mannering, mentioned the arrival of up to date and new fashions in key segments would give clients and sellers entry to the broadest vary of Audi automobiles but.

“It has been a fairly strong yr for Audi in Australia. We had been the largest market within the abroad area final yr, which provides us some clout with the manufacturing unit – and we’re additionally simply exterior the highest 10 worldwide (when it comes to total market gross sales),” he mentioned.

“Our provide has returned to regular ranges, and now we have extra vehicles in the fitting segments – which has helped us to shut the hole on a few of our opponents in these segments – and I imagine the Audi Australia crew and our dealership are doing an excellent job.

“Getting bums on seats – figuring out how a automotive drives, what it appears to be like like, the way it feels, and the way the possession expertise might be of profit – these are essential touchpoints to premium patrons.

“We spend a number of time with our supplier community making certain they’ve the solutions to our clients questions, and that’s particularly vital with electrical vehicles; and I believe the This autumn e-tron will grow to be a traditional instance of that.

“In any case, it will likely be the primary time now we have had an electrical SUV within the phase, and importantly the automotive will give us an electrical mannequin that is available in beneath the FBT threshold.”

Certainly, given its positioning when it comes to packaging, value, and efficiency, the This autumn e-tron has the potential to grow to be the German marque’s best-selling battery electrical car within the native market.

The success of rival manufacturers reveals robust purchaser choice for mid-sized SUVs, with fashions together with the Tesla performing significantly properly. Given its standing as a premium marque, the 2024 Audi This autumn e-tron will kind a pure rival to the likes of the BMW iX1 (from $78,900 plus on-road prices), Lexus UX300e (from $79,990 +ORC) and Mercedes-Benz EQA-Class (from $82,300 +ORC).

“This automotive (the This autumn e-tron) will reply a number of questions for patrons who’ve an curiosity in that phase, and that value level, whether or not they select to purchase the automotive outright, lease the automotive as a part of a novated package deal, or as an organization car that’s extra environmentally pleasant,” he added.

“I believe we’re in a phase and at a value level with the This autumn e-tron that could be a real premium different. Over the following 24 to 36 months, we’ll supply much more on this and smaller segments, and with extra electrical automobiles which can be fairly near that $60,000 value level.

“These are segments that we’re at present not in – and I believe that’s the reason we’re not promoting the amount of vehicles that we may. However that’s about to alter. With the advantages of shared platforms (with Volkswagen) we could have a better vary to supply than ever earlier than.”

Audi Australia product supervisor, Matt Dale, mentioned the altering dynamics of the native portfolio had no set cap, with all merchandise provided globally into consideration and guided solely by market demand.

“The broadest vary now we have ever had is correct now – and that may proceed to develop as we make the transition to electrification. Whereas we proceed to supply petrol and diesel ICEs, now we have additionally started providing plug-in hybrid and BEV fashions, and we would not have a quantity that we’re going to cap the mannequin vary at,” he defined.

“It’s all about buyer alternative, and to the premium or luxurious purchaser, that have round buyer centricity, round alternative, the vary of merchandise and physique kinds, and so forth is one thing we will even proceed to supply.”

Relating to the This autumn e-tron particularly, Mr Dale mentioned the car would fill an important function for the Audi model regionally because it continued to broaden the variety of low- and nil emissions fashions it makes out there.

“It is among the first questions clients are asking, ‘what BEVs do you’ve?’,” he added.

“We could have an more and more broad providing, however our behind-the-scenes technique is one which can also be very pointed, very centered on providing the fitting selections for our clients with out creating an excessive amount of complexity, and that’s one thing we’ll proceed to work on going ahead.”

Key premium marque annual gross sales 2018 – 2023:

*Yr-to-date gross sales as at finish October.