joe80

Report: Audi U.S. sales suffering due to supply shortage

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/04/12/r...pply-shortage/

There are good problems and there are bad problems. Audi dealers across the U.S. are having trouble selling vehicles, but not because of uncompetitive product or industry-wide sales woes. Automotive News reports the reason for Audi's sales troubles have everything to do with a supply shortage that stems from strong first quarter sales. Audi of America President Johan de Nysschen reportedly told AN that U.S. dealers are "short of everything," with Q5 and Q7 supplies running especially low.

Last year, Audi cut U.S. deliveries by 6,000 units due to weak sales here in the States, but the German luxury automaker saw brisk sales in December followed by a first quarter that bested the first three months of 2009 by 35 percent. Audi now has a 29 day supply of product for U.S. dealers; about half the typical 60 day reserve and a third of the 88 day supply of March, 2009. De Nysschen says Audi has allotted an additional 3,000 vehicles to the U.S. for 2010, which should help dealers a bit. That said, we're thinking Audi isn't looking to beef up inventories too much considering the fact that the Four-Ringed automaker managed to keep incentives in check at a time when other automakers are dumping truckloads of cash on the hood to boost their sales.

mmarshall

Well, no arguments wth the A5's looks. Although the grille, like most Audis, is a little oversized, I'd call the A5 one of the best-looking, if not THE best, coupes in the U.S. market, discounting the Mustang/Challenger's dynamite retro-looks.

But, trust me....if he wants back-seat room in a 4-door, the IS350 (or any 2Gen IS model) is NOT the way to go. Check it out for yourself and you'll see my point.

IS-SV

For sure the A5 coupe has first class styling overall.


He wasn't looking for extra room, he's looking for better access as I mentioned earlier (making it easier to enter and exit the back seat). Many of us that own IS350's use the car as a 2 plus 2, and find the 2 extra doors make it into a more useful 2 plus 2 than a typical coupe of this size. I know (I guess you forgot), I own a IS350.

mmarshall

Didn't remember you owning a 350, but, from the IS-SV call-sign, it's not surprising....I had kind of half-guessed that.

IS-SV

Oh no, if I get a GS or LS I may have to change my call-sign.
Note: see my signature line for cars currently owned.

I like the A5 and cross-shopped the 335 coupe also when shopping for my IS350. But the additional doors made it more useful as a 2 plus 2, not to mention the power/quality/reliability/luxury/service/resale value/sleek fastback sedan styling unique to Lexus.


Back on topic, I really like how Audi has grown in the US via better products.

mmarshall

I agree that Audi products, today, are far better than in the past, despite the well-known electrical gremlins. The typical Audi, today, not only has some of the industry's best interior quality and fit/finish, but comes from the factory FAR better screwed-together than years ago. I can remember test-driving a new Audi years ago (a 4000, I think), that not only had what was, IMO, a chintzy interior, but also was full of creaks and small rattles. The 5000, or course, (right or wrong), was stuck with the same accelerator-pedal stigma that plagues some of today's Toyotas.

Big Andy

So surely the 4 door A5 Sportback is the way for him to go?

IS-SV

No way, no interest. He's a single professional that is not interested in hatches or wagons. The beautiful styling of the A5 coupe is what sold him.

Big Andy

You've confused me now; he loves his A5 and the only complaint is back seat access, but show him an A5 with a set of rear doors to give him improved rear seat access and he's not interested? Does he want some sort of little half door like on the Mazda RX8 or MINI Clubman?

It's still a coupe - just a 4 door one.

IS-SV

I see your point about the 4 door coupe thing, but no way is it as attractive or stylish as the A5 coupe, or the CLS... Key word is style.

GS69

BMW Fends off Audi to Remain World's Top Premium Brand after 1Q

MUNICH -- BMW outsold German rival Audi in the first quarter to hang on to its ranking as the world's top-selling premium brand.

Audi, a luxury unit of Volkswagen AG, was aided by a 35 percent advance in U.S. sales as it overtook Mercedes-Benz to finish second, just 1,709 units behind BMW.

Global sales for the BMW brand increased 14 percent to 265,809 in the quarter, compared with 264,100 for Audi. BMW was helped by strong demand for the recently launched X1 small crossover and a 54 percent increase in sales for the 7-series sedan. Its U.S. sales rose 8 percent in a market that advanced 16 percent.

"We are back on our growth track in nearly all the automobile markets,” BMW sales boss Ian Robertson said in a statement. “We intend to continue improving on last year's figures throughout the second quarter.”

Robertson is counting on the new 5-series sedan and revised versions of the 3-series coupe and convertible to lead the way. The 5 series was launched last month in Europe and goes on sales in the United States in June. The 5 series accounts for just over half of BMW's profits.

Updated versions of the BMW 3-series models have been available to customers since late March. That and other new models are expected to help BMW Group, which includes the BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce brands, achieve “healthy growth in the single-digit percent range to reach more than 1.3 million vehicles" for the full year, Robertson said.

Audi milestone
Last week, Audi for the first time passed Mercedes-Benz brand in global quarterly new-car sales.

Audi's stated goal is to become the "most successful luxury automaker in the world by 2015," at which point it aims to sell 1.5 million cars a year.

Audi finished 2009 in third place in global premium-brand new-car sales. BMW was No. 1 and Mercedes ranked second.

Mercedes posted a 26 percent gain in first-quarter U.S. sales to become the leading luxury brand in the United States, ahead of Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus.