Audi November global sales rise 8.9 percent
FRANKFURT - FRANKFURT (AP) — German carmaker Audi AG said Tuesday its global sales improved 8.9 percent in November as the recession eased and demand rose strongly in developing markets.
Audi, a unit of Europe's largest auto group, Volkswagen AG, said it sold 82,750 cars for the month, compared with 75,965 in November of 2008.
For the first 11 months of the year, however, Audi's sales declined 5.4 percent to 870,600 vehicles from 920,689 in the January-November period of 2008.
The gains last month were attributed especially to the Asia-Pacific and Americas markets.
Based in Ingolstadt, Audi said that for China — which includes Hong Kong — sales rose 102 percent to 16,503 vehicles in November. It sold 139,872 cars in China in the first 11 months, a near 29 percent increase on 2008 levels.
In the entire Asia-Pacific region, the company recorded an increase of 85.6 percent, selling nearly 20,000 cars from 10,783 a year earlier. India, South Korea and Singapore also contributed to the increase.
In the U.S., sales were only slightly higher for the month at 6,810 vehicles, but still better than the competitions' results, according to Audi.
It said it was able to increase market share, while sales in Brazil and Canada, among other countries, also increased.
In Europe, Audi said November sales declined 4.4 percent to 51,800 cars. Great Britain, the company's largest European market outside Germany, saw sales improve 14 percent to 6,698 vehicles. The company saw sales increases in France and Austria, among other countries, while German sales declined 1.5 percent to 21,836 vehicles.
The company said some of the best sellers overall were the Audi A3 sportback and the Q5 SUV.
Shares of Audi were about half a percent lower at €469.47 ($699.51) in Frankfurt morning trading.
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