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| The 2010 Audi S4. Audi said its October sales were up 0.4 per cent to 82,750 cars from 82,436 in October of 2008. (AP PHOTO/Audi) |
FRANKFURT, Germany - German automakers BMW AG and Audi AG said Monday their October sales improved as the global downturn showed signs of waning and demand for luxury cars improved.
BMW, the world’s biggest luxury carmaker, said its group sales improved 2 per cent for the month to 115,252 units from 113,011 sold in October 2008.
Based in Munich, the company includes the namesake BMW brand as well as Mini and Rolls Royce. The company also builds BMW motorcycles.
"We are aiming to set new sales records in China, India and Brazil in 2009," said BMW’s sales and marketing chief Ian Robertson in the company’s report.
BMW said Brazil saw a 224 per cent increase in sales for the month; China an 81 per cent increase and India a 56 per cent rise.
"Our sales figures have been steadily recovering since April and we were able to make gains in October as planned. We expect to see further solid growth in November and December. Our goal is to remain the world’s leading premium manufacturer once again in 2009," Robertson said.
Last week, BMW reported lower sales and profits for the third quarter, but said it expects to remain profitable for the full year. It said total car sales would likely be 10 to 15 per cent lower than in 2008, provided there are no further economic setbacks.
BMW said it was also able to increase sales during October in other markets, including Britain, up 35 per cent; Austria, up 17 per cent and South Korea, up 24 per cent.
Audi AG, based in Ingolstadt, said its October sales were up 0.4 per cent to 82,750 cars from 82,436 in October of 2008.
A division of Europe’s biggest carmaker Volkswagen AG, Audi said its sales figures were much better than anticipated, and raised its full-year sales target to 925,000 cars for the year.
"The Audi Q5 is emerging as one of our most successful models. And in particular the A5 and A6 model lines are selling well," Peter Schwarzenbauer, Audi’s chief of sales and marketing said in a report. "We are therefore upgrading our worldwide sales target."
The Q5 is an SUV, while the A5 is a sports coupe and the A6 is offered both as a limousine and station wagon.
Audi sales in western Europe were 8 per cent lower for the month, while sales in Germany were 7.5 per cent lower. Sales in the U.S. were down 1 per cent.
Like BMW, Audi said it also saw a strong increase in its sales in China, which were up 51 per cent.
Audi, which has a production facility in Changchun, China, said it had already beaten its 2008 record for car sales in the country and expects to sell over 130,000 cars there this year.
Shares of Audi were unchanged at C415.80, while shares of BMW were about two thirds of a per cent higher at C33.29 in Frankfurt morning trading.
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