| Audi is not making an apology at BMW's claim that the | | | | Audi dealer profitability, according to him, had increased |
| brand is not a luxury car opponent because | | | | from 0.8 percent to 3.0 percent in the past three years. |
| Volkswagen's premium vehicle division does not | | | | He also claimed that such figures are exceptionally |
| manufacture rear-wheel drive cars and that | | | | high and are by far much higher than most of their |
| discounting has been the biggest factor of inflated | | | | rivals' returns on sales numbers for a retail business in |
| Australian sales and market share. | | | | Australia. |
| Joerg Hofmann, the Managing Director of Audi, used | | | | He added that discounts for their vehicles are a big |
| the launching of the new S3 and TT Roadster last | | | | NO for them because they adhere to the fact that the |
| week in order to emphasize the fact Audi was easily | | | | customer can believe in and trust a brand. |
| the nation's fastest-growing premium brand. He also | | | | Mr. Hofmann, from a strategy meeting at the Ingolstadt |
| took advantage of the launching to suggest that the | | | | HQ of Audi AG, recently attempted to put the brakes |
| maker of BMW oxygen sensor was already | | | | on the boiling competition in Australia's advantageous |
| discounting its very newly redesigned volume-selling 3 | | | | luxury car sector, which has not grown as fast as the |
| Series. | | | | overall new-car market blast in recent years. Three |
| This is the latest storm in the cold war between Mr. | | | | months ago, the Ingolstadt HQ of Audi AG increased |
| Hofmann and BMW's new Australian chief Guenther | | | | its 2015 sales target from 1.4 to 1.5 million automobiles in |
| Seemann, who, in an interview with GoAuto, refuted | | | | an invitation to become the top-selling premium car |
| the claim that Audi is a premium car-maker. The | | | | brand all over the world. |
| interview took place after a gathering that announced | | | | He told GOAuto during the interview that he does not |
| upgrades across BMW's entire passenger model | | | | want to make a story and he does not actually care |
| range, including the 3 Series. | | | | too much for what has been said. As a matter of fact, |
| Mr. Hofmann said that every manufacturer is reacting | | | | he said they were really glad with the top |
| to them in various ways. He added that they are | | | | performance that their brand is exhibiting and they |
| confident and proud of what they are doing and that | | | | were boasting that they go ahead to another record |
| they are relaxed for they know they have a great | | | | year for Audi. He concluded that he is after for their |
| future ahead of their brand. However, he claimed that | | | | brands performance and not for any competition. |
| there was never a time that they were arrogant. He | | | | Mr. Hofmann refused to comment on specific car |
| boasted to the other car makers that there is a big | | | | companies but he said that what they communicate is |
| difference between Audi and some other brands. | | | | based on fact and the fact is that, according to him, |
| While referring to BMW's 3 Series range last week, Mr. | | | | Audi is by far the fastest selling premium brand in |
| Hofmann said that the public wants discounts (open | | | | Australia. |
| discounts). He added that if somebody puts a huge | | | | As of the first five months of this year, Audi has |
| amount of dollars behind an almost brand-new volume | | | | recorded an outstanding 41 per cent growth in sales |
| model, a car, which was launched a year ago, is now | | | | and this figure is 10 times more than BMW's 4.1 |
| already spurred by huge amounts of dollars. | | | | percent increase. |