New Audi Australia chief executive Jeff Mannering said the company would secure a significantly better vehicle supply next year after a tough 2022 – during which its sales fell 14.1%.
While most car brands’ parking lots have been hit by headwinds like COVID, chip shortages, the war in Ukraine and the shipping crisis, Audi and the broader Volkswagen group have been hit. hit harder than most.
Audi’s current sales in Australia are 11,812 units, the lowest January-October level since 2010.
Mercedes-Benz Cars sold 23,280 units over the same period this year (down 5.5%), BMW 20,104 (down 3.7%) and Volvo 8852 (up 11.6%). Lexus was worse in percentage terms, falling 26.1% to 5976 with Toyota Group shortfalls.
“It’s a complicated question, but I am absolutely positive that we will produce more next year,” Mr. Mannering told us.
“…I am 99.9% confident that supply will be better,” he added, but pointed to potential problems that could cause other problems in 2023, such as gas supplies. in Europe, where most of their cars are manufactured.
“We’re just doing our budget and our volume budget is based on the production budget, and that’s significantly better than what we’ve had this year,” he said. said, referring to the commitments made to Audi Australia by the Group’s factories.
Mr Mannering gave some insight into the challenges he is expected to face in his new role in the near term, adding a core focus to the broader VW Group here on driving Faster time from launch to arrival in Australia.
“It’s not just a matter of semiconductors, not just a Ukraine-Russia topic, but logistics is a big deal at the moment, even trucks and trains from the factory, to transport cars, countries The only country in trouble is New Zealand. It took us 90 days from completion of production to arrival in Australia,” he said.
He added that fewer future Audis will lack certain features – a legacy of semiconductor shortage problems, offset by discounts on offer – perhaps savings on entry-level technology. as high as a laser light.
Despite the brighter 2023 outlook, one requested Audi that won’t reach here until 2024 at the earliest is the Q4 e-tron EV, the brand’s rival for the Tesla Model Y, BMW iX1, Rechargeable Volvo XC40, Lexus UX300eand Mercedes-Benz EQA.
“It [Q4 launch] won’t be next year. Production could begin next year – not will, maybe – but the car will not be introduced. I’d love to be here early 2024, that’s what we’re pushing,” Mr Mannering said.
