VW's Audi to reach China unit sales target earlier

Volkswagen's premium unit Audi expects to reach its unit sales target for China two years earlier than previously planned, Audi's head of sales told industry publication Automobilwoche.

"In 2013, we aim to sell about 200,000 cars in China," Peter Schwarzenbauer was quoted on Saturday as saying.

Previously, the company had planned to reach that target in 2015, the report said, adding that Audi expected to sell 136,000 cars in China this year compared with 119,600 in 2008.

In the United States, Audi is aiming to sell 80,000 new vehicles this year and plans to double that number by 2015, Schwarzenbauer was quoted as saying.

Separately, Bild newspaper reported, citing no sources, that Audi is mulling investing about 100 million euros ($147 million) for a 10 percent stake in German soccer club Bayern Munich.

Bild quoted a company spokeswoman as saying that the report is "speculation". She added: "There are always considerations on how the close cooperation can be revived in a new way."