Audi Looks to Its SUV Lineup to Help it Steal the Sales Crown From BMW

Audi hopes to become the number one luxury brand by 2020 by expanding its Q SUV lineup.

Audi_Crosslane_Coupé_Concept

Currently BMW holds the top sales spot in the luxury segment, which is followed by Audi and Mercedes-Benz in the number two and three spots. Audi hopes to eventually grab the number one spot and it hopes to do so by expanding its “Q” SUV lineup. Audi CEO Rupert Stadler stated that its Q range could account for up to 40 percent of its sales by 2020, which is up from only 25 percent today.
Worldwide demand for SUVs is expanding. Audi sales boss Luca De Meo told Automotive News Europe, “By 2020, we expected global sales of SUVs to grow by at least 50 percent to 17 to 18 million units from about 12 million last year. We want to benefit from this opportunity.”

Currently Audi’s Q range consists of the Q3, Q5 and Q7 models, but it’s expected to double in the near future with the addition of the Q2, Q4 and Q6, which will be sportier alternatives to the existing models. “Our current range is made of very functional SUVs. In the future, we will add a different type of Q model, emotional and very sporty,” Stadler said.

Audi’s first priority is to add another model below the Q3, which was previewed by the Crosslane concept, which debuted last fall in Paris.

Automotive News