Audi, after run-away profit surge, takes pause for breath

GERMANY
Audi, after run-away profit surge, takes pause for breath
Just like leading premium brand rivals BMW and Mercedes, Audi has weathered recent economic storms with next to no outwardly visible damage
Published: Thu, 13 March 2014 15:52:02 GMT
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Apart from one minor blemish, chiefly a 6.2 per cent drop in last year’s operating profits to €5.03bn – reducing last year’s operating margin to 10.1 per cent from a segment-leading 11 per cent the year before – last year Audi has made significant further positive progress across the board.

Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management, said: "This year we will further boost our global sales while lifting sales revenue to more than €50bn”.

Current year sales will rise in all world regions, including Europe; in China this year’s Audi sales will breach the half-million barrier for the first time, Stadler said during the presentation of Audi’s full-year 2013 figures.

Making good progress

This is the verdict on last year’s overall Audi performance.

Still the leading prestige car brand in Western Europe for the past half-decade, and further encouraged by its dizzying sales success in China, whose premium segment it has long-dominated, Audi keeps its eyes firmly focused on BMW’s global prestige sector leadership crown.

+10.1%
Audi's 2013 operating margin

Last year’s performance, and a flying start into this year’s global prestige sector sales race, keeps Audi hopes alive to ultimately take over leadership of the global prestige sector from its BMW rival.

A foretaste of conceivable developments during the next half decade or so, during the opening two months of this year - if not during February itself - Audi has wrenched the global prestige sector lead from BMW by the narrowest of margins...more

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> Daimler’s Zetsche, at long last, comes up trumps 07 Feb 2014

> Mercedes’ bid for glory 16 Jan 2014

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+10.1% Audi's 2013 operating margin

+10.1%
Audi's 2013 operating margin