Audi looks to extend record 2012 growth to this year

The Audi group expects to continue its growth in 2013 after surpassing its targets in 2012.

Despite the impact of the debt crisis in some countries and a contracting overall market in Europe, the company posted record production, shipments, revenue and earnings in 2012, the company said.

In the past financial year, Audi sold more than 1.45mn automobiles (1,302,659 in 2011), a growth of 11.7% or approximately 152,500 additional customers, and increased its revenue by 10.6% to €48.8bn compared with  €44.09bn in 2011.

The group was also able to increase its operating profit to €5.4bn compared with €5.34bn in 2011, a record result in the company’s history so far. In the full year, the operating return on sales of 11.0% was above the strategic target corridor of 8% to 10%.

Audi CEO Rupert Stadler said: “2012 was a very successful year for us. We surpassed our targets and added an attractive premium brand, Ducati, to our brand portfolio. We intend to continue our growth in 2013 and with two new plants this year, we will create the right conditions to reinforce our claim to leadership over the long term.”

As of 2016, Audi will produce the next generation of the Q5 at its new plant in San José Chiapa, Mexico.

The main return figures demonstrate that the Audi Group continues to be one of the world’s most successful automobile manufacturers. For Axel Strotbek, board of management member for finance and organisation at AUDI, the company’s high profitability reflects the success of the growth strategy.

The CFO regards investing in the future as evidence of farsighted management: “We already initiated the biggest investment programme in our history in 2011. We now plan total investment averaging more than €3.5bn each year until 2015, in order to effectively pursue our growth path.”

The high investment volume of recent years is paying off. Across all models, the brand sold about 739,000 cars in Europe last year, improving by a significant 1.8% compared with the prior year in a difficult market environment.

In the US, the company set new sales records in each month of 2012, further accelerating the growth rates of 2011. And the brand with the four rings maintained its lead in the premium segment in China. Globally, the company achieved record unit sales in more than 50 markets last year, according to the statement.

The Audi Group anticipates a slight increase in revenue in 2013 and 2014.

New models of the brand will help the company achieve this goal, with the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron for example, the company said.