It’s the dawn of a new era at Audi. The Concept C heralds a fresh design language and a return to form in the quality of interior materials. These fundamental changes are thought to be part of a broader strategy to chase, and ideally catch, archrival Mercedes in the luxury sales race. Executives from one of several VW Group luxury brands are reportedly working on a long-term plan to boost annual sales to two million vehicles.
That milestone has never been achieved. Audi’s best year was 2023, when it delivered 1,895,240 cars worldwide. Sales, however, dropped in 2024 by 11.8 percent to 1,671,218 vehicles, allowing Tesla to overtake Audi for the first time after Elon Musk’s company shipped 1,789,226 EVs. The Model 3 and Model Y alone outsold the entire Audi brand last year. Mercedes finished comfortably ahead by moving 1,983,400 cars in the same period, while BMW retained the top spot with 2,200,217 units.
Photo by: Audi
After surpassing one million annual sales for the first time in 2008, Audi is now aiming to double that milestone, according to a plan reportedly in the works at Ingolstadt. Reuters, citing an insider, says the aggressive target is part of a broader strategy expected to be announced before year’s end. It remains unclear when Audi intends to hit the two-million mark, but the challenge is significant given the upcoming retirement of its most affordable cars.
The volume-oriented A1 and Q2 will be discontinued after the current generation, leaving the A3 as the entry-level combustion model. On the EV side, a more affordable electric model has been confirmed for 2026. A year later, the production version of the Concept C will join the lineup, though it is unlikely to move the needle given how sports cars are a shrinking niche.
Even though it will undercut the R8, the new coupe with an electrically retractable targa top will still carry a six-figure price tag, putting it out of reach for most enthusiasts. The lack of a more affordable gasoline-powered version further narrows its customer base. Still, Audi hopes the model will boost its image much like the original TT did in the late 1990s, luring more people into showrooms. Internally, the sports car is touted as a “TT Moment 2.0.”
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Source: Audi
While Audi has declined to comment on its two-million-sales ambitions, the Reuters source suggested the United States market could play a key role. Local production is being considered to circumvent tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. Ideally, building cars in America would allow Audi to double regional sales, according to the same source. In 2024, the company delivered 196,576 cars in the U.S., a steep 14 percent decline from the previous year.
Should Audi strive to hit two million cars sold in a year, it’s a good thing the company has backtracked from its overly ambitious EV-only agenda. Rather than going fully electric by 2032 as initially announced, combustion engines will stick around longer.
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