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Audi A1 Orders Could Top 50,000 Units in 2010

Orders for the A1 subcompact car could exceed the 50,000 units of planned production this year, according to Audi. The A1 is directed first of all at young people, an attractive target group since it rejuvenates a brand's image and can build loyalty as people upgrade to more luxurious models.

"In view of the high demand, orders could surpass the production capacity this year," Peter Schwarzenbauer, Audi's head of sales and marketing, said in a statement, quoted by the Automotive News.

Audi has run a long Internet-based teaser campaign for the A1 and even hired pop star Justin Timberlake to sell the car to fashion-oriented youngsters with at least 15,800 euros ($21,200) to spend on a new car. Audi estimates 90 percent of interested buyers would be first-time Audi customers.

By comparison, when rival Mercedes-Benz launched its A-class entry-premium compact, many of the buyers were considered to be existing Mercedes owners getting a second, smaller car for spouses or other family buyers. Other premium German brands do not compete directly against the A1, which is based on the VW Polo architecture, right now.

BMW is present in the segment only through its Mini, which start at 16,600 euros in Germany for a model with a comparable entry engine. Meanwhile the entry price, including tax, for Fiat's comparable Alfa Romeo MiTo is more than 1,000 euros below that of the A1 in Germany.

Audi plans to deliver some 80,000 units of the A1 hatchback to customers next year and eventually bump this figure up to 100,000 on average per year. Production of the A1 begins on Tuesday, with the carmaker's Brussels site building 500 cars a day on a two-shift basis.
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