– Sales for the most recent month rose 11.9% to 14,616 vehicles
– Demand for the all-new Audi A3 Sedan remained strong deep into its launch year
– Due to lean inventories, Audi pulled its 2015 model launch ahead

HERNDON, Va., August 1, 2014 – Audi reported that its July 2014 sales increased 11.9% to 14,616 vehicles, a total that stands as the 43rd consecutive month of record monthly U.S. sales for the brand. Audi U.S. sales year-to-date increased 13.3% to 98,965 vehicles.

Audi has maintained steady momentum throughout 2014, with the best-ever July results following record sales for the first half of the year. The previous July record was set in 2013 with sales of 13,064 vehicles. To date, 2014 has produced four of the six best U.S. sales months for the premium car brand.

“Due to the sustained high demand for our Premium cars, we needed to move our 2015 model year release ahead of schedule as supply became available early July,” said Mark Del Rosso, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Audi of America. “That gives us tremendous confidence heading into the second half of the year with the new Audi A3 Cabriolet, A3 Sedan TDI and the S3 performance model reaching showrooms within weeks, and the new Q3 crossover arriving later this fall.”

By the end of July, Audi and its U.S. dealers had a lean 47 days’ supply of unsold cars and 29 days of unsold SUVs in inventory.

After its April U.S. sales debut, the 2015 Audi A3 Sedan has maintained a strong and consistent sales pace. July 2014 brought 2,164 A3 sales to solidify the model’s standing among the top three of the brand’s best sellers.

July totals for the top-of-the-range Audi models kept pace, constituting nearly one-third of all Audi sales. Audi A8 demand increased 11.3% for the month as customers responded well to the updated 2015 model line. Audi Q7 YTD sales increased by 8.9%.

July is the 12th consecutive month of record sales for Audi Certified pre-owned. It also marks the second highest monthly total of all-time with an increase of 26.6%, to a total of 4,116 CPO vehicles sold; CPO sales year-to-date increased 15.6 %.

Highlights:
– The all-new 2015 Audi A3 sedan models officially went on sale this spring, with 9,899 cars sold since launch.
– Sales of Audi premium category vehicles (Audi A6, Audi A7, Audi A8, and Audi Q7) increased 13% year-to-date, representing 32.2% of total Audi sales year-to-date and 32% of the Audi year-to-date sales gain.
– Sales mix for Audi S performance variants finished the month at 18.5% for the S4 sedan; 32% for the S5/ RS 5; 5.5% for the S6; 22.4% for the S7 / RS 7; 15.1% for the S8; 34.7% for the TTS and TTS Roadster, and 7.7% for the SQ5 crossover.
– Sales of Audi A8 increased 11.3% compared to July 2013
– Sales of the Audi Q5 increased 0.4% compared to July 2013 due mostly to tight supplies; YTD sales grew 7.6% compared to previous period.
– Sales of the Audi Q7 increased 8.9% compared to July 2013; YTD sales grew 24.9% compared to previous period.
– July sales mix for Audi TDI models: Audi A6 TDI at 18.8%; Audi A7 TDI at 14.7%; A8 TDI at 10.7%; Audi Q5 TDI at 14.2%, Audi Q7 TDI at 24.1%, with an overall mix of 13.3% on 1,298 total TDI sales for July.
– Audi Certified pre-owned sales increased 26.6% to 4,116 vehicles in July; YTD CPO sales rose 15.6% to 25,943 vehicles sold.
– Audi holds the longest running monthly record sales streak in the premium car market according to a competitive sales report from MotorIntelligence.com.

AUDI US SNAPSHOT				–YTD–
Model Line	July ’14 Actual	July ’13 Actual	Yr/Yr % change	July ’14 YTD Actual	July ’13 YTD Actual	Yr/Yr % Change
A3	2,164	0	0.0%	9,899	826	1098.4%
A4	2,717	2,989	-9.1%	20,116	20,831	-3.4%
A5	1,610	1,717	-6.2%	10,148	11,220	-9.6%
A6	1,820	2,061	-11.7%	13,730	12,000	14.4%
A7	647	645	0.3%	5,116	4,685	9.2%
A8	503	452	11.3%	3,137	3,551	-11.7%
Allroad	366	462	-20.8%	2,376	3,209	-26.0%
Audi Q5	3,189	3,176	0.4%	23,117	21,486	7.6%
Audi Q7	1,446	1,328	8.9%	9,881	7,908	24.9%
R8	53	74	-28.4%	475	471	0.8%
TT	101	160	-36.9%	970	1,154	-15.9%
Total Audi Sales	14,616	13,064	11.9%	98,965	87,341	13.3%

NOTES:
– 2013 A4 includes A4 sedan and S4 sedan, but does not include Audi allroad.
– 2013 A5 includes Audi A5 coupe, S5 coupe, RS 5 coupe, A5 Cabriolet, S5 Cabriolet and RS 5 Cabriolet models.
– 2013 A6 includes Audi A6 sedan and S6 sedan.
– 2013 A7 includes A7 sedan, S7 and RS 7 sedan.
– 2013 A8 includes Audi A8 sedan, A8 L sedan and S8 sedan models.
– TT includes Audi TT, TTS, TT RS coupe; TT and TTS roadster models.
– R8 includes Audi R8 coupe and R8 Spyder models.

HALF-YEAR RESULTS SHOW CONTINUING PROFITABLE GROWTH FOR AUDI

Revenue of € 26.7 billion, operating profit of € 2.7 billion and operating return on sales of 10.0 percent
Record 83,761 sales in the UK – up 13.5 per cent on same period in 2013
CFO Axel Strotbek: “Despite major challenges, Audi is systematically continuing along its path of high-quality growth.”
Ongoing investment offensive for new models, innovative technologies and the expansion of worldwide manufacturing structures

Ingolstadt, August 1, 2014 – Despite challenging conditions and a record investment programme, Audi delivered a convincing performance in the first half of 2014 with solid key figures. In the period from January to June, the carmaker based in Ingolstadt, Germany, set a new record with deliveries of 869,355 Audi vehicles, 83,761 of which were destined for the UK – another unprecedented half-year performance for the national importer.

The Audi Group posted first-half revenue of € 26.7 billion and operating profit of € 2.7 billion. In the first six months of this year, the company achieved an operating return on sales of 10.0 percent and was thus at the upper end of its strategic target corridor of eight to ten percent.

At the half-year press conference in Munich, CFO Axel Strotbek stated: “Despite major challenges, Audi is systematically continuing along its path of high-quality growth.” Audi appeals to customers with its attractive model portfolio. The company therefore expects to deliver significantly more than 1.6 million cars of the brand with the Four Rings this year, once again breaking the prior-year record.

Between January and June, the Audi Group delivered 869,355 cars bearing the Four Rings, an increase of 11.4 percent (H12013: 780,467). The company sold 50 percent more A3 family models than in the first half of last year, and at the same time, the large A6, A7, Q7 and A8 models together recorded an increase in unit sales of 10.1 percent.

Due to the growth in vehicle deliveries, revenue increased despite negative currency effects by 5.8 percent to € 26,690 million (H1 2013: € 25,234). As a result of the volume growth as well as higher research and development expenditure for groundbreaking technologies and new products, the Audi Group’s cost of sales in the first six months of this year increased by 8.3 percent to € 21,870 million (H1 2013: € 20,190). At the same time, distribution costs rose to € 2,419 million (H1 2013:€ 2,284). The company achieved an operating profit for the first half of 2014 of € 2,671 million (H1 2013: € 2,644).

The operating return on sales for the first six months was 10.0 percent (H1 2013: 10.5), and was thus at the upper end of the strategic target corridor of eight to ten percent. The Audi Group posted a profit before income taxes of € 3,102 million for the first half of this year (H1 2013:€ 2,974), equivalent to a return on sales of 11.6 percent (H1 2013: 11.8). Profit after income taxes amounted to € 2,323 million (H1 2013: € 2,178).

€ 22 billion product offensive

Axel Strotbek, CFO of AUDI AG, stated: “We are currently making substantial advance expenditure that will pay off in the medium and long term.” This is why Audi approved the biggest investment program in the company’s history at the end of last year. By 2018, a total of approximately € 22 billion will flow into new models, technologies and the continuously expanding worldwide production network. From January to June 2014, Audi invested € 1,552 million in its business operations (H1 2013: € 1,240), 25 percent more than in the same period in the previous year.

Despite increased advance expenditure, Audi completely financed all its investments out of its cash flow from operating activities, which increased in the first six months of the year to € 3,712 million (H1 2013: € 3,236).

Net liquidity of € 15,324 million as at June 30, 2014 was significantly higher than a year earlier (June 30, 2013: € 13,536).

In 2014, the Audi Group intends to grow in all regions of the world and to strengthen its leading position in both Europe and in China. Depending on the economic conditions, the brand with the Four Rings expects to post revenue growth in full-year 2014.

The systematic expansion of international production structures, increasing advance expenditure for new models and technologies – in particular to fulfil increasingly strict CO₂ regulations around the globe – will at first have a negative impact on earnings this year. At the same time, the positive development of unit sales and revenue and the continuous improvements in productivity and processes initiated in the past will provide positive impetus for the development of operating profit. In total, the Ingolstadt-based company anticipates an operating return on sales within the strategic target corridor of eight to ten percent.