AUDI AG / Release of an announcement according to Article 37x of the WpHG [the German Securities Trading Act] 27.04.2009 Interim report according to Article 37x of the WpHG --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Audi brand increases market shares further in 1st quarter Economic Development On the back of the sharp economic downturn at the end of 2008, the global economy continued to deteriorate dramatically in the first quarter of 2009. Despite far-reaching measures by governments and central banks to stabilize the financial sector and support the economy, all major industrial nations apart from China and India now find themselves in a deep recession. Emerging countries that had previously enjoyed high growth are likewise increasingly feeling the repercussions of the economic crisis. During the period under review, the global economic crisis led to a significant fall in demand for cars worldwide. New car registrations fell most sharply in Western industrial nations. The negative trend has moreover now spread to emerging countries, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as to Asia. The U.S. car market shrank year on year by over one-third in the first quarter of 2009. Major car markets in Western Europe likewise experienced a sharp drop in demand. Registrations of new cars in Great Britain were around 30 percent down on the previous year, and the figure for Spain showed a slump in excess of 40 percent. By contrast, the environmental bonus in Germany created a special boom in the car market in the first three months of 2009, particularly in lower price segments. The Chinese car market's performance also displayed a positive trend thanks to state incentives for buyers. Vehicle Deliveries The Audi Group delivered 261,807 (314,467) vehicles to customers worldwide in the first three months of the current year. With 210,027 (251,273) cars delivered, the Audi brand performed significantly better than the markets as a whole thanks to its fresh, attractive range of products. Particularly following the market launch of the new Audi Q5, the Company enjoyed a steady improvement in monthly vehicle deliveries, after a difficult start in January. In its home market of Germany, the Audi brand delivered 47,686 (54,727) cars in a generally difficult market environment for premium manufacturers. In Western Europe (excluding Germany), the Company held its ground amid difficult overall conditions, with deliveries of 90,244 (113,047) vehicles bringing it an increased market share of 4.0 percent, up from 3.3 percent. In the United States, the Audi brand delivered 15,808 (20,556) vehicles to customers and consequently performed much better than the market as a whole. The Company thus increased its share in the premium import market by 0.9 percentage points to 7.3 percent. In the Asia-Pacific region, where the market remained dynamic, a total of 37,878 (39,572) vehicles were delivered. The Audi brand yet again strengthened its leading position in the premium segment in China (incl. Hong Kong), where deliveries reached 29,010 (30,425) units. Deliveries to Customers by Model<pre> 1-3/2009 1-3/2008 Audi A3 48,880 62,300 Audi TT 6,969 11,656 Audi A4 / RS 4 66,520 79,794 Audi A5 12,455 13,106 Audi Q5 17,221 202 Audi A6 / RS 6 45,572 59,298 Audi Q7 8,541 17,229 Audi A8 2,697 6,261 Audi R8 732 1,427 Internal vehicles before launch 440 0 Total, Audi brand 210,027 251,273 Total, Lamborghini brand 404 639 Other Volkswagen Group brands 51,376 62,555 Total, Group 261,807 314,467</pre> Expansion of Product Portfolio The Audi brand maintained its model initiative at the start of the 2009 fiscal year by unveiling numerous new products. For example the Company premiered the Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro mid-engine sports car at the Detroit Auto Show in January. This supercar is powered by a 10-cylinder engine with FSI technology and an output of 386 kW (525 hp), which propels the Audi R8 from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. Another highlight unveiled at Detroit by the brand with the four rings was the Sportback concept study car, a progressive prototype of a five-door full-size automobile. With its coupe-like silhouette, the concept car impressively embodies the Audi formal idiom of the future. A mere two months later, the Audi brand introduced the trade press to three more captivating new models at the Geneva Motor Show. The Audi TT RS, available as Coupé and Roadster versions, marks the brand's resumption of its lengthy tradition in the domain of five-cylinder engines. The sports car built using the Audi Space Frame (ASF) construction principle achieves an output of 250 kW (340 hp) and accomplishes the 0 to 100 km/h sprint in just 4.6 and 4.7 seconds. The Audi A4 allroad quattro, set to appear in the early summer, is an exceptionally sturdy vehicle with elevated ground clearance, stainless steel underbody guard and Offroad Detection (ORD), which adapts the ESP control system to the prevailing surface conditions. In conjunction with the driving dynamics system Audi drive select, the S tronic dual-clutch transmission and an energy recovery system that converts mechanical braking energy into electrical energy, customers moreover have a pioneering technology package at their disposal. Three ultra-efficient turbocharged direct-injection engines will be available at launch, combining high pulling power and refined running with good fuel economy. In March the A4 car line was extended by the arrival of the sporty Audi S4 and S4 Avant models. These high-performance vehicles feature a 3.0-liter TFSI engine with an output of 245 kW (333 hp). As an option, the engine's power is transferred to the wheels by an innovative seven-speed S tronic transmission, with virtually no interruption to the power flow. In this specification, using 9.4 and 9.7 liters of premium fuel per 100 kilometers, the fuel economy of these new models is on average 26 percent better than that of their predecessors. The new Audi A5 Cabriolet with its classic soft top is the perfect way to combine open-top driving with comfort and everyday utility. Right from launch this April, it is available with a total of five fuel-efficient gasoline and diesel engines with outputs ranging from 132 kW (180 hp) to 195 kW (265 hp). A diesel version with an ultra-efficient 2.0-liter engine will appear at a later date. Rounding off the top end of this car line, there is the sporty Audi S5 Cabriolet. Financial Performance As expected, falling vehicle deliveries eroded the financial performance, net worth and financial position of the Audi Group in the first quarter of 2009. Revenue of EUR 6,700 (8,294) million was down on the prior-year figure, both as a result of lower sales of vehicles due to the economic downturn and because of adverse exchange rate effects. The ongoing productivity and process improvements as well as systematic cost management measures have once again been considerably intensified in view of the ongoing crisis on global car markets in the current fiscal year. However, it was not possible to compensate for the economic impact, with the result that the Audi Group closed the first quarter with an operating profit of EUR 363 (514) million. The line-up of consolidated companies in the Audi Group did not change in the first quarter of 2009. Outlook In light of the continuing global economic downturn, the Audi Group expects to see a sharp drop in worldwide demand for cars in 2009. Major sales regions, most notably North America and Europe, will be affected by the negative development. Within the context of its entrepreneurial activities the Audi Group moreover encounters various risk areas, which are explained in detail in the risk report contained in the 2008 Annual Report. The risks described therein are unchanged. As far as its strategy of sustained growth is concerned, the Audi Group has over the past few years created a sound basis on which to compete successfully even in economically difficult times. The Company will nevertheless be unable to escape the effects of the global economic downturn altogether. Vehicle deliveries by the Audi Group will not match the record level of the past fiscal year. Thanks to the Audi brand's fresh, attractive product range, which is continually being extended, the Company anticipates that deliveries to customers in 2009 as a whole will nevertheless perform better than the markets as a whole, and that it will again succeed in increasing market shares in key markets compared with the previous year. The lower delivery totals expected mean that revenue for 2009 will be down on the previous year's figure. The Audi Group uses appropriate early indicators to continually monitor the performance of key sales markets, so that it can promptly adjust its production volume to potential fluctuations in demand by exploiting the flexibility of the Audi Production System. The measures for continually improving productivity and processes that have been in place for many years have once again been enhanced. As part of our sustained cost and investment management policies, additional measures have been taken in order to cushion the impact which the cyclical downturn in demand is anticipated to have on profits for the 2009 fiscal year. Personnel Changes There were no personnel changes on the Board of Management and Supervisory Board of AUDI AG during the period under review. Disclaimer This Interim Report contains future-related statements relating to anticipated future developments. These statements are based upon current assessments and are inherently subject to risks and uncertainty. Actual events could differ from the statements formulated herein. DGAP 27.04.2009 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Issuer: AUDI AG - 85045 Ingolstadt Deutschland Internet: www.audi.de End of News DGAP News-Service ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DGAP-IRE: AUDI AG: Audi brand increases market shares further in 1st quarter
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