Audi China business to be headquartered in Beijing

Shanghai, November 12 (Gasgoo.com) Audi AG announced Dietmar Voggenreiter, 39, responsible for Audi Chinese business, will move   his office to Beijing from Germany on Jan 1, 2009, Beijing Youth said today.

 It is said that Voggenreiter will build a plant or a business division in Beijing and report to Audi German headquarters directly. "Audi   Beijing will link Changchun with German, not geographically," Voggenreiter said.

A German newspaper reported that the would-be plant construction is an important measure for Audi to expand business in the Chinese market. Audi China to be established will explore new business independently, including sourcing in China and building a test centre particularly for the Chinese market.

                                                                                                                                       Dietmar Voggenreiter

Audi president Rupert Stadler indicated that new Audi China division will be closer to the Chinese market and help with local production of Audi A3, which will share the platform with the upcoming sixth-generation Volkswagen Golf.

Last May, Rupert Stadler announced the code-named "Route 15" plan, which aimed to sell 1.5 million Audi vehicles by 2015, over BMW and Mercedes-Benz to be the number one luxury brand. Audi China sales will target 200,000 units by then, almost double than 100,888 in 2007.

By 2015, the Audi models will be added up to 40, most of which will also be introduced to China as it is the largest overseas market for Audi. "To meet 200,000 sales by 2015 is achievable," said Johannes Thammer, general manager of FAW-VW Audi sales division.

Also optimistic about the Chinese market is Voggenreiter, who said Audi sales forecast in China hasn't decreased though faced with financial crisis.