Audi's Irish sales jump 22.4 percent

tw0nk

Carmaker Audi saw sales rise by 22.4 per cent in Ireland during the first six months of 2011, according to its latest results.

Overall, the Audi group increased revenue in the first half of 2011 by 22.5 per cent to €21.5 billion from €17.6 billion.

"Despite the economic downturn and instability which has affected consumer confidence, we continue to surge ahead and grow the business in Ireland, due to the right mix of industry benchmark quality matched with the right value proposition," said Audi's director for Ireland, Andrew Doyle.

Group operating profit rose by 90.9 percent to €2.5 billion as against €1.3 billion for the first six months of 2010.

Audi achieved a new record with 652,970 deliveries of its cars worldwide in the first half of 2011, compared to 554,864 deliveries for the same period a year earlier.

The group sold around 1,092,400 cars of the Audi brand in 2010.

Last year the company posted revenue of €35.4 billion and an operating profit of €3.3 billion in 2010.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/0804/breaking21.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

mike65

All those "'felt spec" TDI A4s eh?

Atlantic Dawn

I'd say easy access for car buyers to finance through VW Bank helped massively.

Absurdum

Blandness is all the rage these days it seems.

Twin-go

C**ks are buying Audi's now instead of BMWs?

colm_mcm

2011 felt spec won't kick in till 2016 at least.

The process between boggo spec company cars turning into mapped ground huggers with big sunstrips takes a few years

pajo1981

How anyone could choose an audi over a vastly superior (by every measure) BMW is beyond me.

lomb

mike65 wrote: »

All those "'felt spec" TDI A4s eh?

Ah the felt spec ones arent bad when new. After a few years of grime though its a different matter. I quite fancy an A4 Avant actually and I certainly wouldnt be paying 2500 for the leather option which is I believe what it is.

lomb

pajo1981 wrote: »

How anyone could choose an audi over a vastly superior (by every measure) BMW is beyond me.

Because BMs, though nice cars have a certain image that they cant shed. Audis are more of a gentlemans car than BMW!

pajo1981

lomb wrote: »

Because BMs, though nice cars have a certain image that they cant shed. Audis are more of a gentlemans car than BMW!

Like what the shirt and jumper brigade might drive?

Something to take the family to the GAA/mass without raising any eyebrows?

Gophur

Audi are a fine car, well made and perform well. There's one for all tastes.

The amount of begrudgery and bilge spouted about them is laughable, as are the stereo-types associated with those who drive them.

Why so many, obviously clueless individuals themselves, pour so much derision on the drivers of certain cars, Audi and BMW, for example, beggars belief, and says a hell of a lot more about them than it does about the drivers of the Audis and BMWs.

gebbel

pajo1981 wrote: »

How anyone could choose an audi over a vastly superior (by every measure) BMW is beyond me.

It is certainly not beyond me! Audi are just as good if not better IMO.

dell1211

mike65 wrote: »

All those "'felt spec" TDI A4s eh?

no longer funny:rolleyes: must be the most over used meme on motors

slowlydownwards

Twin-go

gebbel wrote: »

It is certainly not beyond me! Audi are just as good if not better IMO.

Well the vast majority of Audi's sold in this country are FWD and the vast majoruty of BMWs are RWD.

So the are not really just as good now are they?

Zubeneschamali

Having a car in the Mini class for the first time can't have hurt.

listermint

dell1211 wrote: »

no longer funny:rolleyes: must be the most over used meme on motors

I extremely doubt that is the most over used meme on boards. Or else you havent been 'around' boards..

Oh btw the statement is true.

pajo1981

Twin-go wrote: »

Well the vast majority of Audi's sold in this country are FWD and the vast majoruty of BMWs are RWD.

So the are not really just as good now are they?

Not to mention the engines.

savagecabbages

People can begrudge Audi all they want, they have spent many years building up a solid reputation, its paying off now and Audi are smiling all the way to the bank!

Nonoperational

listermint wrote: »

I extremely doubt that is the most over used meme on boards. Or else you havent been 'around' boards..

Oh btw the statement is true.

The whole "felt spec" thing is one of the stupidest things I've come across I must say. Don't get it at all... felt spec? What's it supposed to mean even? Felt... Goes over my head every time.

opinion guy

pajo1981 wrote: »

How anyone could choose an audi over a vastly superior (by every measure) BMW is beyond me.

Twin-go wrote: »

Well the vast majority of Audi's sold in this country are FWD and the vast majoruty of BMWs are RWD.

So the are not really just as good now are they?

One word answers both of these posts:

Quattro

mike65

gpf101 wrote: »

The whole "felt spec" thing is one of the stupidest things I've come across I must say. Don't get it at all... felt spec? What's it supposed to mean even? Felt... Goes over my head every time.

Magherafelt spec thread

http://www.reallymeansounds.com/foru...changed.65632/

Nonoperational

mike65 wrote: »

Magherafelt spec thread

http://www.reallymeansounds.com/foru...changed.65632/

That has also gone completely over my head I'm afraid. And the link doesn't work... I think I'm destined to be bemused by felt...

Twin-go

opinion guy wrote: »

One word answers both of these posts:

Quattro

How many Quattros are sold in Ireland? Every BM is at least RWD.

tuxy

gpf101 wrote: »

That has also gone completely over my head I'm afraid. And the link doesn't work... I think I'm destined to be bemused by felt...

http://www.octane.ie/news/article.php?id=587

YouTookMyName

gpf101 wrote: »

That has also gone completely over my head I'm afraid. And the link doesn't work... I think I'm destined to be bemused by felt...

Be bemused no more: Link

sadman18

I know of a lot of BMW drivers who changed to Audi's because of the trouble they had with them in the winter months.

Zubeneschamali

Twin-go wrote: »

How many Quattros are sold in Ireland? Every BM is at least RWD.

a) There've been lots of bad RWD cars over the years, just fitting RWD doesn't make a car good.

b) Some people actually prefer FWD.

c) Most people don't care either way.

d) BMW will be making FWD cars soon (and already are if you count the Mini range).

coolbeans

sadman18 wrote: »

I know of a lot of BMW drivers who changed to Audi's because of the trouble they had with them in the winter months.

Really? An uniformed reaction then. Winter tyres would have sorted out the problem. What's gas is that most drivers changing for this reason would not have opted for the quattros.

sean1141

Twin-go wrote: »

How many Quattros are sold in Ireland? Every BM is at least RWD.

most of the big audi's would be quattros would they not. like the a6/a8 plus the s and rs cars and no i dont mean the rs4tdi:D

bmw may be rwd but audi have the option of 4x4 which bmw lack.

a rep mobil 320d is every bit as plain and boaring as an audi a4. not everyone thinks rwd is the best either.

both have some great cars like the m5 m3 rs4 r8 etc but the lower end ones in both are as plain as each other imo

blindsider

Twin-go wrote: »

How many Quattros are sold in Ireland? Every BM is at least RWD.

So because a car is RWD, it's 'better'?

I seem to remember there being a giant hole in that theory during the winter - something about BMW's being un-driveable in snow, ice and anything generally unpleasant.

BMW pay their marketing department (and agencies) vast sums of money to develop adverts which convince us that unless you drive a BMW, you really aren't 'fulfilled' as a person. BMW = Success! (LOL!)

This allows them to charge a premium price for a reasonably good product.


Most people couldn't tell the difference between RWD and FWD if you disguised the car they were driving - they just wouldn't have a clue!

Oh, one other thing - doesn't traction control on a FWD car, completely negate the argument for RWD?

dell1211

listermint wrote: »

I extremely doubt that is the most over used meme on boards. Or else you havent been 'around' boards..

I cringe everytime I see the phrase, there is rarely a thread about an audi/vw where someone doesnt mention it thinking that they are hilarious, its exactly the same as the whole 335 chipped thing on pistonheads, its been done to death and back

unkel

Did Audi pay the Irish Times for this ad or did their motoring journos just not do their homework? :rolleyes:

Sales YTD 06/11 compared to 06/10

Audi up 22%, market share up from 3.1% to 3.4% (up 10%)
BMW up 65% market share up from 2.4% to 3.5% (up 46%)

Audi are losing here, not winning. That said, Mercedes and Lexus and are losing more. And surprisingly the biggest loser in the executive market is Jaguar.

savagecabbages

To be fair, OP never mentioned BMW at the start of the thread, the thread seemed to take on an Audi vs BMW direction all on its own...

I wouldn't say winning or loosing, rather both are doing better.

tw0nk

Unkel, thats really interesting, do you have the full set of figures? thanks

x in the city

dell1211 wrote: »

no longer funny:rolleyes: must be the most over used meme on motors

catching up with the daddy of em all... yore ma

coolbeans

savagecabbages wrote: »

People can begrudge Audi all they want, they have spent many years building up a solid reputation, its paying off now and Audi are smiling all the way to the bank!

To be honest I think the big advantage that BMW has over Audi is the fact that the former aren't dressed up versions of cheaper cars. I mean for the A1 there's the Polo, for the A3 the Golf etc. It'd be very hard for many people to justify buying a 1.6 A3 over a Golf as the premium is so large and the return so seemingly small. That's no begrudgery, that's just looking at the facts.

Monty.

lomb wrote: »

Because BMs, though nice cars have a certain image that they cant shed. Audis are more of a gentlemans car than BMW!

You must be joking. 15-20 years ago maybe, now skanger driven ones are common as skanger driven BM's. Nice looking cars, but that's it. Both are overpriced to buy and a parts and servicing con job to run. I've owned both and would never buy either again.

unkel

tw0nk wrote: »

Unkel, thats really interesting, do you have the full set of figures? thanks

All available on simi.ie

opinion guy

coolbeans wrote: »

To be honest I think the big advantage that BMW has over Audi is the fact that the former aren't dressed up versions of cheaper cars. I mean for the A1 there's the Polo, for the A3 the Golf etc. It'd be very hard for many people to justify buying a 1.6 A3 over a Golf as the premium is so large and the return so seemingly small. That's no begrudgery, that's just looking at the facts.

I disagree with this. I test drove various audis and golfs last year. The audi's had noticeably a smoother drive. I also think the Golf interiors have just become positively agricultural - really basic, really plain. Reminded me of a 1983 defender 90 I used to drive on occasion both in terms of driving experience and spec.

The 1.6 Golf and A3's are both woefully underpowered incidentally - but you do get some extra HP in the A3 (at least versus the basic golf 1.6 - you can pay extra to match the a3 hp). But the A3 1.6tdi will give you better mpg - 74mpg combined driving or something like that

Muckie

Friend of mine bought an Audi S3 1.8 Quattro, he went from having a Subaru Impreza. Some machine to motor and hold the road

Main reason he told me is high performance with the comfort for 4 wheel drive, specially way our winters are going.

Can't stand thoses "pimped up" or flet spec Audi's. Neighbour had a TDI A4 fitted with a dump valve, Jesus it sounded so stupid!

coolbeans

opinion guy wrote: »

I disagree with this. I test drove various audis and golfs last year. The audi's had noticeably a smoother drive. I also think the Golf interiors have just become positively agricultural - really basic, really plain. Reminded me of a 1983 defender 90 I used to drive on occasion both in terms of driving experience and spec.

The 1.6 Golf and A3's are both woefully underpowered incidentally - but you do get some extra HP in the A3 (at least versus the basic golf 1.6 - you can pay extra to match the a3 hp). But the A3 1.6tdi will give you better mpg - 74mpg combined driving or something like that

I've driven lots of each in various guises and for me it was hard to tell the difference. The issue though is that the hardware is almost identical i.e. engines, gearboves, suspension; the really important stuff. These are shared across a whole host of brands from budget to premium. Now while this would make me feel good if I were buying a Skoda I'd feel a bit sore if I were to buy an Audi as yer man in the feckin's Skoda has the same engine as me for much less.
At least BMW parts aren't so shamelessly whored out like this and that strengthens the brand relative to Audi imo.

tw0nk

thanks Unkel, I didnt realise toyota and vw were still near the top of list, some things never seem to change

kindalen

bmw have sold engine to others, from the old opel omega to rover 75's. believe they had some in land rovers too. ascari also? lincoln had a 2.4l unit as well.

VolvoMan

I used to have a bit of time for Audi when their cars were at least elegant and had clean lines. Now they are just poorly packaged monstrosities with offset driving positions.

coolbeans

They're pretty isolated incidents in fairness. They didn't base the entire company on the one chassis, different dress strategy like VW.

tfitzgerald

I would prefer the exterior of the Audi but the interior of the BMW . When I win the lotto I think I will buy an A7 quattro :-)

tuxy

tfitzgerald wrote: »

I would prefer the exterior of the Audi but the interior of the BMW . When I win the lotto I think I will buy an A7 quattro :-)

What has the recession done to people, I remember when people would dream of Ferraris or Lambos if they were to win the lotto

maddness

No suprise Audi sales are up. Every rep in the country drives a black A4.

Twin-go

sean1141 wrote: »

most of the big audi's would be quattros would they not. like the a6/a8 plus the s and rs cars and no i dont mean the rs4tdi:D

bmw may be rwd but audi have the option of 4x4 which bmw lack.

a rep mobil 320d is every bit as plain and boaring as an audi a4. not everyone thinks rwd is the best either.

both have some great cars like the m5 m3 rs4 r8 etc but the lower end ones in both are as plain as each other imo

Agreed that the paddy spec on both are sparse and boring. I've had both an 2005 A3 and a 2004 3series. The 3series was a much better car to drive. I've moved away from boring German cars to something with a bit more style, it's FWD too:D

tfitzgerald

tuxy wrote: »

What has the recession done to people, I remember when people would dream of Ferraris or Lambos if they were to win the lotto

Oh the A7 is for weekdays at weekends I would like avKoenigsegg_CCX