Record sales in 41 markets, including the UK, bolster the meteoric rise of the Vorsprung durch Technik brand

• Sixth successive record sales year for Audi UK (86,003 cars)
• Record figures in 41 markets leading to a record worldwide sales total for the eleventh year running
• Success achieved in the UK even before new A5 Coupe and TT Roadster come on stream, and without a full year of TT Coupe sales

Helped by the achievement of a sixth successive record sales year by Audi UK, the Vorsprung durch Technik brand has exceeded its past worldwide sales totals for the eleventh year running, prompting speculation that it is set to become the world’s most successful premium brand by 2015.

Globally, 905,100 vehicles were delivered to customers in 2006, up from 829,109 in 2005, representing an increase of 9.2 percent, or almost 76,000 cars. A total of 41 markets set new sales records, including Germany, France, Spain, Italy, China and the USA. Audi UK recorded a 5.7 percent increase, reaching a new peak of 86,003 cars, up from 82,496 in 2005 - the sixth year in succession in which it has raised the bar.

The USA remains the largest Audi export market, with sales up 8.5 percent from 83,066 to a record 90,116, followed closely by the UK.

Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG remarked: “We have not only achieved our eleventh sales record in succession, but will also be announcing new record levels of revenue and earnings. Audi is the fastest-growing premium brand. This puts us well on our way to becoming the most successful premium manufacturer in the world by 2015.”

In the UK, Head of Operations Gary Savage was equally buoyed by the results: “2006 illustrates again the ever-growing popularity of Audi with UK car buyers – to post an increase of 5.7 percent in a market that declined by 3.9 percent is nothing short of a remarkable achievement,” he said.

“Particular highlights for us were record A3 and A6 sales, segment leading Q7 figures and an outstanding reception for both the RS 4 quattro and the new TT, which put paid to our entire 2006 UK allocation even before it was launched. The fact that our order bank for 2007 is already 73 percent ahead of last year can only bode well for our performance in the coming months,” he added.

Audi shows production-ready version of V12 TDI engine with 500PS and 1,000Nm, and low emission V6 TDI unit incorporating new Bluetec technology.
An output of 368 kW/500 bhp and 1,000 Nm of torque – Audi is unveiling an engine which sets new standards in the diesel sector. The majestic V12 TDI power unit with its capacity of six litres endows the high-performance Audi Q7 SUV with sports car credentials. It is the harbinger of a wide-scale model initiative, as Audi seeks to make major inroads into the US market with its diesel models – courtesy of a new emission control technology which cuts emissions drastically.

The Audi Q7 V12 TDI raises the bar in the burgeoning sports utility vehicle segment. A time of just 5.5 seconds for the dash from zero to 100 km/h and an electronically governed top speed of 250 km/h give the high-performance SUV sports car calibre. Its six-litre twelve-cylinder diesel unit demonstrates the tremendous technological expertise at Audi’s fingertips. 18 years after the Ingolstadt brand invented the modern-day TDI engine, it is presenting it in an all-new high-tech, range-topping guise.

Audi makes the vital breakthroughs

All of the diesel engines from Audi deserve the tag of ’sporty’ on account of their impressive performance – the six and eight-cylinder 2.7 TDI, 3.0 TDI and 4.2 TDI units serve to underline this. The pioneering role that Audi assumes in the field of diesel technology stems from the peerless expertise it has amassed over recent decades. Audi engineers have been responsible for one vital breakthrough after another – the most important of these was the world’s first ever TDI engine to be fitted in a passenger car, which Audi introduced in 1989.

Last year, Audi demonstrated the dynamic potential of diesel power in most memorable fashion on race tracks around the world. The V12 TDI in the R10 sports prototype unleashed in excess of 650 bhp and left its petrol-engined competitors in its wake in each of the eight races it competed in. Highlights of this winning streak included its triumph at the gruelling Le Mans 24 Hours as well as its victories in the LMP1 category of the American Le Mans Series.

The trend towards diesel engines is gathering strength all the time in the United States too. Audi is firmly convinced that the TDI engine represents the powerful and economical alternative for the future of motoring, and is therefore preparing a model drive to bolster this trend. The Q7 3.0 TDI is expected to hit showrooms in the USA in late 2008. Thanks to the exceptionally low emissions resulting from its cutting-edge Bluetec technology, this engine even complies with the US Tier II Bin 5 standard which places extremely tough demands on nitrogen oxide and particulate emissions.

SCR catalytic converter for reducing nitrogen oxide levels

At the core of the Bluetec technology is a catalytic converter known by the abbreviation of SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction). The second system component takes the form of an auxiliary tank which contains a carbonyl diamide solution. The solution is injected in small doses into the exhaust system where it decomposes into ammonia, which then breaks down the nitrogen oxides into nitrogen and water. The arrival of the ultra-clean Bluetec diesel engines will see Audi hold true to its tradition of always being at the very forefront of diesel technology.