Photo: AUdi
Proving that the world hasn’t stopped turning after Dieselgate, Volkswagen’s luxury sister Audi has opened a new factory in Brazil. The company board of management member for procurement Dr. Bernd Martens was there to see how the first A3 sedans were being made.
Many consider South America to be the last potential emerging market. Not surprisingly, Audi is building them where they sell them, and they even added a bit of a local flavor.
Yes, you guessed it, the engine fitted to the A3 can run on ethanol, which seems to be the only thing they want to use over there.
“We see great potential in the Brazilian market. Our goal there is to maintain our leading position in the premium segment over the long term,” stated Dr. Bernd Martens. “On our global growth path, we will also utilize the potential of high added value in Brazil. So as well as the Audi A3 Sedan, we will soon also produce the Audi Q3 in Curitiba and will procure as many components as possible locally.”
More than 90% of all cars sold in Brazil come with ethanol compatibility. Audi chose to adapt the 1.4 TFSI for the task at hand, since it’s powerful yet compact and fuel-efficient. Customers will start receiving these A3 models in November, but orders can be placed already.
A few months later, Audi says, the Q3 will also be locally assembled at the factory in Curitiba.
“Since the market launch of the A3 Sedan in 2014, we have doubled our sales volume in Brazil and are the market leader in this segment. This is a strong confirmation that we have chosen the right model for Curitiba,” said Jörg Hofmann, CEO of Audi do Brasil.
Despite the newly appointed CEO Matthias Muller announcing that spending will be drastically cut, Audi will open more factories. They said that, in 2016, a second Audi plant will begin operations in the Americas, in San José Chiapa, Mexico.
Yes, you guessed it, the engine fitted to the A3 can run on ethanol, which seems to be the only thing they want to use over there.
“We see great potential in the Brazilian market. Our goal there is to maintain our leading position in the premium segment over the long term,” stated Dr. Bernd Martens. “On our global growth path, we will also utilize the potential of high added value in Brazil. So as well as the Audi A3 Sedan, we will soon also produce the Audi Q3 in Curitiba and will procure as many components as possible locally.”
More than 90% of all cars sold in Brazil come with ethanol compatibility. Audi chose to adapt the 1.4 TFSI for the task at hand, since it’s powerful yet compact and fuel-efficient. Customers will start receiving these A3 models in November, but orders can be placed already.
A few months later, Audi says, the Q3 will also be locally assembled at the factory in Curitiba.
“Since the market launch of the A3 Sedan in 2014, we have doubled our sales volume in Brazil and are the market leader in this segment. This is a strong confirmation that we have chosen the right model for Curitiba,” said Jörg Hofmann, CEO of Audi do Brasil.
Despite the newly appointed CEO Matthias Muller announcing that spending will be drastically cut, Audi will open more factories. They said that, in 2016, a second Audi plant will begin operations in the Americas, in San José Chiapa, Mexico.
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