Audi A4 Is Germany's Most Popular Premium Car in 2008

Despite the global economic downturn that made most automakers dream about bankruptcy, Audi reports strong sales in Germany and Western Europe and proudly says that A4 is Germany's most successful premium model in 2008. This means Audi's model managed to outsell BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Klasse, often referred to as the main A4 rivals in the German market. According to figures provided by Audi, approximately 98,714 A4 models were registered last year while A6 topped its segment with 45,304 registrations.

The second generation Audi TT sold well too, as 10,630 registrations were reported in Audi's domestic market. This means the TT is most successful sports car in Germany in 2008, Audi proudly said in a press statement.

"Audi is presently experiencing stronger growth than any other premium brand in the region – and thanks to new models we will maintain this dynamism," says Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG. "In a difficult market environment, we want to further expand our market share in Germany and Western Europe."

The new Audi A4 Avant was officially launched in April 2008, while the S4 Sedan and Avant are currently delivered to authorized dealerships across Europe.

And even most carmakers struggled to minimize loses caused by the financial crisis, Audi continue to run high in most of the 100 markets it is currently active in. The company sold a total of 1,003,000 cars in 2008 which represents its thirteenth consecutive record year when it comes to annual sales. The company raised its domestic market share to 8.1 percent, an increase of 0.8 percent compared to the previous year. Audi currently produces in several locations around the world, including Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm (Germany), Györ (Hungary), Changchun (China) and Brussels (Belgium).