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Audi doesn't even need December to set new global sales record

In 2011, Audi broke its previous-year global sales total at the end of November. It did it again in 2012. It did the same in 2013, and it's done the same again this year. The brand sold roughly 1.575 million cars last year. As of November 30 this year - its 47th record-breaking month in a row in the US - it had found new owners for 1.591 million cars around the world. Where is the action happening? Everywhere, with double digit growth year-on-year in China (16.4 percent, led by the Q3), the US (15.4 percent, led by the Q5) and Mexico (10.6 percent), and triple-digit growth in Brazil (105.2 percent). Even Europe, still struggling to break free of its retail lassitude, returned a 4.3-percent gain, with the UK and Swedish markets up by more than 20 percent. In November alone, Audi's deliveries increased 10.8 percent compared to last year, and it broke the company record for monthly sales, getting 146,250 units out the door. You can find more numbers and details in the press release below. AUDI AG: new sales record after 11 months - Full year 2013 volume already exceeded in November - Sales chief Luca de Meo: "Strong year-end sprint for Audi" - New-generation Audi A6* launched in the first European markets Ingolstadt, 2014-12-09 - Audi continues to post double digit growth in November too: Deliveries climbed 10.8 percent to a new record breaking figure for a single month of around 146,250 cars. The company once again grew significantly in all regions around the globe. Demand for the four rings rose in the Asia Pacific region in particular with sales up 17.7 percent. Since January, the premium manufacturer has delivered around 1,591,100 cars (+10.1%) to customers, thus topping last year's sales total after just 11 months. In the whole of 2013, the Ingolstadt based company sold around 1.575 million units. "Our performance in November shows that we are keeping up the pace as we sprint towards the year-end," says Luca de Meo, Member of the Board of Management for Sales at AUDI AG. "Our large export markets in particular are driving the growth of the four rings at this time." In China Audi handed over 52,544 vehicles (+18.5%) to their new owners. The Audi Q3* provided a strong boost, with demand for the compact SUV growing by 49.8 percent. Since January, the Ingolstadt-based company has sold a total of 516,356 cars in the Middle Kingdom – and thus more than half a million units for the first time.

Audi Q3 Camping Tent is der neue Aztek

The annual Wörthersee festival is much more than a land of ridiculous one-off concepts for fans of the Volkswagen Group to ogle over. Brands like Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda and SEAT actually showoff some real stuff, including accessories for existing vehicles.
While we don't normally cover this (are you really interested in new floormat designs for a Skoda Rapid?), one item on this year's list caught our eye. It's for the Audi Q3, the compact crossover from the Quattro people, and well, it's something we've seen before.
Yes, that's a tent. Much like the Pontiac Aztek before it, Audi debuted a tent kit for the Q3. Now, it's not exactly like the detestable Pontiac. This tent can easily be attached and separated from the car, and it's even rated for wind speeds of up to 43 miles per hour (but not while driving, we'd guess). According to Audi, the inflatable tent can be erected in a mere seven minutes (unlike most tents, which require five hours, seven people and a degree in mechanical engineering).

Formula E is on track financially, with NYC race coming up

LONDON - Formula E could be breaking even already were it not investing for the future, chief executive Alejandro Agag said on Monday after the electric motor racing series reported continuing losses in its latest annual accounts. Accounts filed at Companies House showed Formula E Operations Ltd reduced its operating loss to 33.7 million euros ($38.32 million) at end-July 2016, a period covering its second season, from a previous 62.7 million. Net liabilities rose to 107.2 million euros from 72.1 million, while total revenues reached 56.6 million from a previous 19.7 million. "Everything is going according to plan," Agag, whose city-based series will be racing in New York for the first time on July 15 and 16, told Reuters in an interview at his London offices. "Actually we are doing incredibly well financially according to our plan. "We could have broken even this year but we decided to invest more in marketing and promotion. We decided to add races like the one in New York, which is in year one a race which is costing, we have significant capital expenditure." "It's really up to us when we want to go to break even or not. We could be in break-even now, we could be in break-even next season but we may decide to invest more in marketing and promotion." Agag said the shareholders, including John Malone's Liberty Global and Discovery Communications, were supportive of the strategy and the series had attracted more investors, sponsors and car manufacturers. The New York races will be held in Brooklyn's Red hook neighborhood, with lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty as a backdrop with technology partner Qualcomm securing the naming rights. MANUFACTURER INTEREST Agag, whose series plays down competition with Liberty Media-owned Formula One, said more carmakers were set to join a series increasingly aligned with their commercial focus. "I think Formula E has become the preferred destination for manufacturers and there are a few reasons for that," said the Spaniard. "Obviously, one is that it is electric and manufacturers are more and more focusing on electric cars...and we are the only platform really to help them promote that technology and those types of cars. "And second, because of the cost. The cost of the team in Formula E is very moderate." Whereas top Formula One teams can burn through $300 million a year, as can the likes of Toyota in the World Endurance Championship, the budgets of successful Formula E teams are between 10 and 15 million.