@VW Group: Audi ends 2020 with the most successful quarter in the company’s history

AUDI AG ended 2020 with the most successful quarter-year in the company’s history for cars delivered: between October and December the company supplied 505,583 cars to its customers – more than half a million in a quarter for the first time ever. In a challenging year, marked globally by restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic, Audi delivered a total of 1,692,773 models, a fall of 8.3 percent compared with the previous year. In China, however, the company nevertheless attained new best figures with a total of 727,358 vehicles supplied (+5.4 percent).

“Thanks to an extremely strong performance internationally by our team, around the middle of last year we emerged from the first wave of corona. Following a strong third quarter, this made a major contribution to the successful final push in 2020,” says Hildegard Wortmann, Board Member for Sales and Marketing at AUDI AG. “The global situation continues to be challenging at present. Nevertheless, for 2021 we have set ourselves ambitious targets, aim to achieve continued growth, and view the future with optimism.”

Through the expansion of digital sales and service offerings, for example Audi Live consultation, the Four Rings brand has reacted flexibly and successfully to the challenges of the corona pandemic. Ongoing digitalization of sales and experience gained during the first wave of coronavirus in spring have contributed strongly to Audi ending 2020 with the most successful quarter-year in the company’s history.

AUDI AG is continuing its transformation into a provider of sustainable premium mobility and is by some distance the biggest maker of electric vehicles among the three German premium brands. The successful Audi e-tron model (including the Audi e-tron Sportback) registered a significant increase in demand last year, with growth of 79.5 percent (47,324 cars) compared with the previous year. The Audi e-tron is the global top seller among electric vehicles made by German premium manufacturers. In Norway it is even the best-selling of all models. In Germany the Audi e-tron (including the Audi e-tron Sportback) was able to more than double its sales volume in the final quarter in comparison with the previous year.

In respect of other models in the range, Audi increased deliveries especially for the Audi Q3 (+18.1% in comparison to the previous year) and the Audi A6 (+11.8%). The high-performance models from Audi Sport were also extremely popular with customers: More than 29,300 cars delivered in 2020 marks a new best, and a clear increase of 16.1 percent compared with the previous year.

In China Audi supplied more cars to customers last year than ever before. A total of 727,358 automobiles represents a rise of 5.4 percent. The fourth quarter, too, was more successful than any previous period, with 214,467 cars supplied (+7.7%). In the largest market for the Four Rings, rapid economic recovery and high demand for individual mobility led to new record figures. The development was especially positive for the Audi Q2 (+33.8%), the Audi A6 (+41.1%), the Audi A7 (+142.1%), and the Audi A8 (+13.8%).

In the USA 186,620 deliveries of new cars represented a fall of -16.7 percent year on year. Strong consumer demand and the upward trend towards the close of the year demonstrate that the outlook for 2021 is favorable, however. Rising demand can be seen in the SUV segment above all: the share of SUVs in 2020 was 66 percent, and in the fourth quarter it rose to as much as 74 percent. Significant impulses came in the year as a whole from the Audi Q3 (+83.9%) and the Audi e-tron (+10%). In the final quarter the sales performance of the Audi Q5 (+15%) and the Audi Q8 (+11%) was particularly strong.

In Europe, car deliveries declined in 2020 by 19.5 percent to 619,723 units. Nevertheless, the trend was positive for the Audi e-tron (+80.6%, including the Audi e-tron Sportback) and the Audi Q7 (+6.3%). In the fourth quarter an upwards trend was already evident again, despite increasing restrictions resulting from the coronavirus pandemic: the delivery of 178,891 cars between October and December was a rise of 2.5 percent compared to the previous year. In Germany the company supplied 214,427 cars to customers (-21.1%). In Audi’s home market, demand rose clearly again in the fourth quarter: 61,231 vehicles delivered represented a rise of 9.2 percent.

Note for media editors: the financial results for the 2020 business year will be presented at the digital annual press conference on 18 March 2021.