Metallic Blue Q5, Sold In Changchun, Is Millionth Audi Sold In China Since 1988#
Audi already has a reputation of being so ubiquitous in cities throughout China that its cars almost blend into the background, but today the German automaker announced it had officially hit an important milestone, selling its one millionth car since entering the China market in 1988, a metallic blue Q5 sold to a customer in Changchun, Jilin province. The company marked the occasion with a ceremony in Changchun, attended by the Board of Management of Audi AG, partners from First Automobile Works (FAW) and more than 7,000 guests, including employees from the local Audi/FAW plant.
Of the one million Audis sold in China over the past 22 years, 950,000 were produced in Changchun and the other 50,000 imported. Audi has become the first automaker in the premium segment to sell over 1 million cars in the Chinese market, and has sold 175,000 units in China and Hong Kong in the first nine months of this year, also setting a new record.
As Dr. Dietmar Voggenreiter, President of Audi China, told attendees at the event in Changchun, Audi expects to accelerate its sales going forward through a massive expansion effort. “Over the entire year, we will deliver well over 200,000 cars to customers in China,” Voggenreiter said, adding the company's next target is to sell its second million cars within the next three years. As the Wall Street Journal points out today, one of the reasons for Voggenreiter's optimism is Audi's plan to expand its dealership network in China from 157 locations in 106 cities to over 400 dealerships by 2013.
Let's just hope, for Audi's sake, that Chinese government officials don't switch to driving (Geely-owned) Volvos in the next few years.