Audi 2008 Annual Report Download - page 147

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BUSINESS AND UNDERLYING SITUATION
THE GROUP
Company
With its two brands Audi and Lamborghini, the Audi Group is one of the most successful car-
makers worldwide, active both in the premium and supercar segments.
At the core of the Company is the Audi brand, whose vehicles captivate customers around the
world with their modern design, superb build quality and technological innovations. The focal
point of all activities is the development of pioneering, sustainable automotive concepts aimed
at fully satisfying customer demands for ever better solutions. This philosophy is manifested in
the brand essence “Vorsprung durch Technik,” which encompasses the brand values of sporti-
ness, sophistication and progressiveness. Customers can experience this brand identity through
an extensive and diverse range of models. Thanks to these strengths, the Audi brand succeeded
in maintaining its growth on global auto markets last year, despite the dramatic slump that
affected many areas of the market towards the end of the fiscal year due to the financial crisis.
This helped it to build on its already strong competitive position. In fact, the past fiscal year saw
the Company deliver over one million premium cars of the Audi brand for the first time in its
history.
AUDI VEHICLE DELIVERIES BY REGION
2008 Share in %
Germany 258,111 25.7
Europe excluding Germany 451,566 45.0
China (incl. Hong Kong) 119,598 11.9
USA 87,760 8.8
Other 86,434 8.6
Total 1,003,469 100.0
The Italian time-honored brand Lamborghini embodies fascinating, uncompromising, exclusive
supercars and has been enjoying a steady increase in demand for some years now. In the 2008
fiscal year, 2,430 (2,406) sports cars with the mark of the bull were delivered to customers –
a new all-time record in the Company’s history, despite the difficult underlying situation.
In addition to models of the Audi and Lamborghini brands, the Audi Group supplied customers
with 217,607 (234,144) vehicles of other Volkswagen Group brands in 2008 through its sales
subsidiaries.
Group structure and principal group companies
The Audi Group is headquartered in Ingolstadt. This is where Technical Development, Sales,
Administration and substantial portions of the manufacturing operations are based. In addition
to the A3, A3 Sportback, A4 Sedan, A4 Avant, A5 Coupé and Audi Q5, the ultra-sporty S3,
S3 Sportback, S4 Sedan, S4 Avant and S5 Coupé versions are built there as well. The bodies of
the A3 Cabriolet and TT series are also made in Ingolstadt.
The Company’s second German location in Neckarsulm is where the A4 Sedan, A5 Cabriolet,
A6 Sedan, A6 Avant, A6 allroad quattro and the A8 luxury sedan are built, together with the
high-performance derivative models S5 Cabriolet, S6 Sedan, S6 Avant, S8 and A8 W12.
quattro GmbH is also based in Neckarsulm. This company, a wholly owned subsidiary of
AUDI AG, manufactures the high-performance vehicles RS 6 Sedan, RS 6 Avant and Audi Q7 V12
TDI quattro, and is also responsible for the exclusive, hand-crafted manufacture of the Audi R8
mid-engine sports car. quattro GmbH also supplies an extensive customization program for all
Audi models (e.g. S line, Audi exclusive) and sells exclusive lifestyle articles that embody the
spirit of the brand with the four rings.
Management Report of the Audi Group for the 2008 fiscal year