Audi Korea ready for rebound with new vehicle launches: CEO

4 weeks ago 201

Audi Korea CEO Steve Cloete speaks during a press conference at The Shilla Seoul hotel, Monday. Courtesy of Audi Korea

Audi Korea CEO Steve Cloete speaks during a press conference at The Shilla Seoul hotel, Monday. Courtesy of Audi Korea

German carmaker aims to revive sales with Q6 e-tron, A5

By Lee Min-hyung

Audi Korea is gearing up for a sales rebound in the local market by launching a “historic high” number of new models this year and strategically expanding its lineup of electric vehicles (EVs), its CEO said Monday.

His remarks came in response to growing calls for the carmaker to stop delaying the launch of new vehicles here, as a limited selection had previously been cited as a key factor behind its sales decline in recent years.

However, the head of the German luxury carmaker’s local subsidiary expressed optimism about reigniting customer sentiment with both its planned launches of EVs and redesigned flagship models powered by internal combustion engines.

“Audi Korea will introduce the largest number of new models in its history to the Korea market in line with our global electrification strategy,” CEO Steve Cloete said during a New Year press conference in Seoul.

“In 2025, we will see 16 new model launches, including the new Q6 e-tron, the new A6 e-tron and the new A5 and the new Q5."

Audi Korea CEO Steve Cloete introduces the SQ6 e-tron electric SUV during a press conference at The Shilla Seoul hotel, Monday. Courtesy of Audi Korea

Audi Korea CEO Steve Cloete introduces the SQ6 e-tron electric SUV during a press conference at The Shilla Seoul hotel, Monday. Courtesy of Audi Korea

The leader of Audi Korea spoke highly of the Audi Q6 e-tron electric SUV, as the pure electric model is the first EV mass-produced under its much-hyped Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture — co-developed with Porsche.

“The new Audi Q6 e-tron will open a new horizon in electric mobility,” Cloete said.

The new A5 sports sedan is also set to make its debut here. The vehicle will replace the outgoing A4 sedan. Audi Korea will also release the electric version of its flagship A6 sedan, the A6 e-tron, this year, in an effort to diversify its electric lineup from SUVs to sedans.

Cloete has supervised the operation of Audi Korea since taking office last May under a mission to revive the carmaker’s falling sales.

According to data from the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA), the number of vehicle sales from Audi Korea came in at 9,304 in 2024, down 47.9 percent from the previous year. This marked the first time since 2017 that the carmaker’s sales figure dipped below the symbolic mark of 10,000.

Regarding the sluggish sales performance last year, the head of Audi Korea said the carmaker focused more on rebuilding and strengthening its network with its dealers for 2024, rather than driving sales growth.

“First of all, 2024 was the year that we recognized that we had to work closely with our network and our dealers to understand the market and the opportunities that do exist for Audi Korea,” he said.

“Our focus has been to develop a strategic business plan for the market with our dealers and investors to ensure that we create a sustainable business structure in the years ahead.”

Source: koreatimes.co.kr
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