Values, new customer relationship tools and digital acceleration are the cornerstones of the evolution of Audi’s business model, which also in 2020 confirmed its leadership among premium brands for the twelfth consecutive year. The year that has just ended was characterized by the evolution of digital tools for new forms of relationship, the dematerialization of the sales process and new equipment in the fields of lighting, infotainment and driving assistance after the purchase and ” expansion of services such as the collection and return of the car at home, now structural to the service offer.
With the aim of realizing the contribution of technological innovation to social security, during the year Audi extended the penetration of advanced connectivity and driver assistance systems on registered cars to 55%. The evolution of the technological portfolio, new mobility solutions and the digital acceleration of processes have allowed the brand of the four rings to close 2020 in Italy with 49,833 vehicles registered and reach a market share of 3.61%. The electrification of the range was articulated through the ever wider spread (63% mix) of the 12 and 48 Volt mild-hybrid technology, the completion of the PHEV range, the expansion of the 100% electric offer and the development of the charging network which, at home, benefits from the partnerships between Audi Italia and Enel X and Alpiq. Partnerships that facilitate the installation of refueling systems and introduce flat rates with prices below the market average and 100% green energy.
L‘Audi’s sustainable approach has extended to quattro drive, technological icon of the Brand, chosen by a customer on two of the models in the Q range and whose mix reaches 34% of the entire Audi registered. Four-wheel drive that celebrates 40 years looking to the future thanks to the evolved configuration that characterizes the S sports versions of the Audi e-tron and Audi e-tron Sportback, making them the first large series models in the world to be equipped with three electric motors. Among the most significant results of 2020, the Q range, expression of the most advanced concept of sport utility, reaches 49% of the mix of the total registered.
In the A family, Audi A6 is the absolute leader in the E segment, Audi A4 is confirmed as the record holder in terms of residual value and commercial performance in the D segment and the Audi A3 Sportback represented 30% of the segment. The second-hand market, with the Audi Prima Scelta: plus program, recorded better results than the previous year, gaining a market share of 43%. The new year, on the other hand, will see the entry into full commercial capacity of strategic cars such as the Audi Q5 and Audi Q2 just introduced and the entry into the plug-in range of Audi Q3 and Audi Q3 Sportback, the first compact SUVs in the history of the brand. accommodate rechargeable hybrid technology. The e-tron family that will be able to count on the debut of the Audi e-tron GT and Audi Q4 e-tron. Developed by Audi Sport and produced with innovative methods and sustainable technologies such as the closed cycle of aluminum, the Gran Turismo is the pinnacle of the sustainable evolution of the sportiness of the four rings. A journey that began with the hybridization of the iconic Audi RS 6 Avant and culminated in the unveiling of the GT with supercar performance and refined fast charging solutions.
Leading role in the brand’s transition to electric mobility for the Audi Q4 e-tron, the brand’s first zero-emission compact SUV and the first car in Ingolstadt based on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB electric modular platform. Audi e-tron GT and Audi Q4 e-tron will expand the zero-emission range and strengthen the Audi electric offensive which, within five years, will be able to count on 30 highly electrified models, of which 20 are zero emissions, and on the carbon neutral certification of all production sites, modeled on the Brussels and Győr plants. No less relevant is the debut of the Audi Q5 Sportback, the coupé version of the best-selling Audi sport utility in the world, which will contribute to the expansion of the Q range, with seven car lines in 2021, similar to the A range. Audi Q5 Sportback will be able to count on a 100% hybrid range, with 12 and 48 Volt MHEV or PHEV engines. As for the sports offer, the Audi A3 will see its versatility further strengthened with the debut of the high performance version Audi RS 3, curated by Audi Sport.
(RM Media)