Audi aims to lead global premium car market

With an aim to lead the premium car market by the year 2020, Audi is all set to kick off a new expansion phase. The German car maker aspires to conquer this, by increasing its product tally from 50 to 60, helping it push its current sales ahead another 20 percent to two million units annually.

Considering the increasing demand for diesel cars, Audi is readying a new range of high-performance diesel offerings, which will possibly wear a RS badge. Usually 4 out of 10 Audis sold are diesel powered, while in few markets, the ratio is as extreme as 90 percent. Even in petrol-favored market such as USA, Audi’s order book carries 30 percent TDI cars, which is only increasing day-by-day.

Speaking at an event in Copenhagen to mark 25 years of TDI diesel engines, Audi chairman Rupert Stadler said, “the company would begin a new expansion phase this autumn to reach its aggressive new targets - which would depend heavily on diesel sales continuing to boom.”

Overwhelmed with the response 380 bhp-RS5 TDI-e concept car got, the brand with four rings could now introduce innovative tech into its forthcoming production cars. Incorporation of electrically driven turbochargers, as seen in racing models, to boost performance and cutting the turbo lag, could make its way to the up-coming diesel line-up.

According to Stedlar, diesel cars will could dominate brand's range as far ahead as 2030, though he believes plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles will also play a significant role in future. "Electrification is much more expensive than continuing to improve the combustion engine, so we believe the TDI will continue to have the biggest impact for quite a long time."

“We are thinking of the customer and their needs,” he insists. “They wants to be able to drive where they wants, without worrying about battery range, or whether new infrastructure is in place. In a plug-in, they can do that. In an efficient way.” he added.

Source: Autocar UK