Audi’s top execs looked under their Christmas trees this year and found they didn’t get what they wanted: BMW is still the undisputed leader in the global premium segment.
And so, they decided to take matters into their own hands and with just a few days left before the end of 2012, they announced a massive €13 billion ($17.1 billion) investment aimed at overtaking both BMW and Mercedes.
The bulk of the money will go towards the development of new cars and technologies. About half their current lineup is all-new or refreshed, so we can only imagine that a lot brand new vehicles that Audi has never built before are on the way by 2016.
In addition, the automaker plans to invest heavily into its factories, a big chunk of the money going to Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm. Audi also plans to complete a second factory in the ever-growing Chinese market at Foshan, while also modernizing the Hungarian factory which currently assembles various A3 models and makes body components for RS4, RS5, RS6 and R8s. The facility will get a new body-manufacturing shop, a paint shop and a press shop.
The bulk of the money will go towards the development of new cars and technologies. About half their current lineup is all-new or refreshed, so we can only imagine that a lot brand new vehicles that Audi has never built before are on the way by 2016.
In addition, the automaker plans to invest heavily into its factories, a big chunk of the money going to Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm. Audi also plans to complete a second factory in the ever-growing Chinese market at Foshan, while also modernizing the Hungarian factory which currently assembles various A3 models and makes body components for RS4, RS5, RS6 and R8s. The facility will get a new body-manufacturing shop, a paint shop and a press shop.