Audi China sales up 61% to 19,606 cars in April

Shanghai, May 6 (Gasgoo.com) German luxury car maker Audi said yesterday that its sales in China, including Hong Kong, grew 61% from a year earlier to 19,606 units in April, media reported.

China sales of the premium brand of Volkswagen AG in the first four months of the year came to 71,055 cars, up 73% year on year, continuing to lead China's luxury car market.

After selling nearly 160,000 cars last year in its largest overseas market, Audi expects to lead China's luxury car market again with sales of 200,000 units in 2010, compared with 120,000 at BMW and "more than 100,000" at Mercedes-Benz.

Audi plans to expand its product line-up for the luxury car sector in China, which surpassed the U.S. as the world's largest auto market last year and may overtake Germany to become Audi's No. 1 market in the next few years.

Currently Audi has three locally made models in China - the A4L, A6L sedan and Q5 SUV - and several imported models. The Audi Q5, produced in Changchun at the FAW-VW joint venture, will begin selling soon.

China remains the biggest growth market for German luxury car brands. In April, Mercedes-Benz China sales rose 100% to a record 11,300 cars, and BMW group sales grew 115% to 12,440 units.