Audi 2008 Annual Report Download - page 176

157
Management Report
128 Business and underlying
situation
128 The Group
131 Corporate steering
134 Research and development
136 Employee matters
139 Audi in society
141 Environmental aspects
147 Economic environment
150 Course of business
157 Financial performance
159 Net worth
160 Financial position
160 Report on post-balance sheet
date events
161 Risk report
165 Report on expected
developments
169 Disclaimer
Other Volkswagen Group brands
During the fiscal year, 217,607 (234,144) vehicles of other Volkswagen Group brands were
delivered to customers by the companies VOLKSWAGEN GROUP ITALIA S.P.A. (Verona, Italy),
Audi Volkswagen Korea Ltd. (Seoul, South Korea) and Audi Volkswagen Middle East FZE (Dubai,
United Arab Emirates).
Audi Mileage Marathon: diesel initiative gets under way in the United States
In the future, the Audi brand will be able to supply U.S. customers with the millionfold tried-
and-tested, ultra-efficient TDI technology.
The Audi Mileage Marathon was held there last fall to publicize its launch. Over a 7,800-plus-
kilometer stretch from New York to Los Angeles, participants were able to discover just how
powerful and economical this modern drive technology really is. The Audi A3 Sportback 2.0 TDI,
Audi A4 Sedan 3.0 TDI, Audi Q5 3.0 TDI and Audi Q7 3.0 TDI clean diesel competed in the effi-
ciency run, and all 23 cars achieved excellent average fuel consumption. Most efficient of all
were the Audi A3 and Audi A4, which averaged just 4.7 and 5.3 liters of diesel fuel per 100
kilometers respectively. The new Audi Q5 performance SUV and the Audi Q7 also turned in excel-
lent performances, averaging 6.1 and 7.1 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers respectively.
The Audi Mileage Marathon provided a fitting opportunity for the Audi Q5 and the TDI clean
diesel technology in the Audi Q7 to celebrate their debut on American roads. Currently the
cleanest diesel technology in the world, TDI clean diesel cuts nitrogen oxide emissions by up to
90 percent, already meeting limit values of both the Euro 6 standard, which is not due to come
into effect until 2014, and the Californian ULEV II BIN 5 emission standard, the toughest in
the world. The edge that this advanced diesel technology gives over the established gasoline
engines currently available in the United States should give that extra boost needed to achieve
the kind of growth to which the Audi brand aspires.
FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE
The Audi Group increased its revenue in the 2008 fiscal year by 1.7 percent to EUR 34,196
(33,617) million despite the appreciably more difficult economic environment in the second
half of the year and adverse effect of exchange rates. At the same time, this represented the
highest total ever in the Company’s lengthy history.
Of the total revenue, EUR 25,534 (25,249) million was brought in by sales of vehicles of the
Audi brand. As in the previous year, the revenue mainstay was the Audi A4 car line. In addition
to the already very popular A4 Sedan, there was high demand particularly for the new A4 Avant,
which was gradually introduced into the various markets starting in the spring. The Audi A5
Coupé and the Audi R8 mid-engine sports car continued to drive growth robustly. Revenue real-
ized from sales of vehicles of the A3, TT, A6, Audi Q7 and A8 car lines was down on the previous
year’s high level due to their advanced life cycles. The hugely successful new Audi Q5, which only
started to appear on the markets as of last November, surpassed all expectations. This vehicle
has rapidly emerged as a key source of revenue.
The revenue achieved in the 2008 fiscal year by the Italian supercar brand Lamborghini also
matched the previous year’s excellent figures.