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Group 1 Automotive buys the Essex Audi Group

Published by Servicing Stop in Audi Services on May 15th, 2012 | No Comments »

Group 1 Automotive, an American based group have purchased dealerships from the Essex Audi Group. The fee has not been revealed. Some may have expected this news as talks were revealed on Twitter in April.

Essex and East London Audi’s taken over

Group 1 Automotive are the 4th biggest dealer group based in the United States. The dealerships that were purchased include Chelmsford Audi, Southend Audi, Chingford Audi, Docklands Audi and Stanstead Audi. Over the course of the year, this particular group is expected to generate more than £170 million in turnover for 2012.

Further expansion plans

Group 1 Automotive are not expected to stop there however. They are hoping to expand beyond Essex and East London, building new Audi dealerships throughout the UK.

Patiently waiting

The President of Group 1, Earl J Hesterberg expressed his delight at the deal, saying “We are delighted to announce the acquisition of these six Audi dealerships in East London and Essex, as we have been patiently looking for an opportunity to expand our presence and luxury brand offerings in the United Kingdom.”

“This acquisition more than doubles our footprint in the region while adding scale and additional leverage to the business. In addition, we are extremely pleased to expand our global relationship with the Volkswagen Group by partnering with Audi UK, a luxury market leader in the UK.”

Previous business in Brighton, Hailsham and Worthing

This is not the first time that Group 1 has done business in the UK. Previously they had purchased BMW and Mini back in 2007 in the areas of Brighton, Hailsham and Worthing. 3 years later the company purchased BMW and Mini dealerships but this time in Farnborough and Hindhead.

Profits and revenue on the up

Group 1 experienced a wonderful record breaking performance last year. Gross profit increase by a huge 9.5 per cent hitting $960.6 million in total. Turnover increased by 10.4 per cent hitting a massive $6.08 billion. UK business equates to 5 per cent of Group 1’s final sales figure.

Essex Audi name to remain

The takeover will not require Essex Audi to change their name. It will remain with all associated dealerships.

Group 1‘s plans to expand here in the UK were revealed earlier this year. Their main business resides in the United States with 118 automotive dealerships along with 150 franchises.

 

 

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Audi A5 Coupe TDI Quattro in Australia

Published by Servicing Stop in Audi Services on May 11th, 2012 | No Comments »

The Audi A5 TDI Quattro looks like being one of the most desirable diesel coupes in the Australian market. It has been described as a diesel car that is actually enjoyable to drive.

Diesel not usually associated with coupes

Diesel fuel usually powers family vehicles, with owners hoping to get that bit of extra mileage out of them. You don’t usually hear of diesel sports coupes, you usually hear of diesel SUV’s or saloons. However diesel fuelled cars have advanced dramatically over the last few years. Technology now caters for performance diesel vehicles and the Audi A5 Coupe TDI Quattro is testament to that.

A very satisfying drive

The drive of the car is so satisfying that you may mistake it for a petrol vehicle, experts have said. There is no typical noisy diesel sounds or sluggish movements. The drive is wonderfully smooth, quick, sporty and very quiet. When you enough however, the engine does produce a powerful roar.

Acceleration

The Audi A5 Coupe TDI hits 0 – 62 MPH in 6.2 seconds. The wonderful 7 speed dual clutch S Tronic mates perfectly to the powerful engine. Acceleration is effortless. Turbo lag is nonexistent.

Quattro all wheel drive system

Given that the car has a Quattro all wheel drive system, you can expect the A5 to grip the road superbly. Taking corners at speed is made easy. It takes uncomfortable road surfaces and speed bumps without causing any type of displeasure.

Expected to be one the best

Remember this particular Audi has a diesel engine, meaning it is an economical car at the same time. Official figures have not yet been released but the car can produce figures which other rivals coupes can’t.

The same interior

Nothing much has changed within the interior. The design still has the same look and feel but does contain a great amount of class. Optional extras will include satellite navigation, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitors and much more.

The Audi A5 TDI will certainly not come cheap. It has plenty of rivals including to contend with, with all of them being cheaper. These include the BMW 325i coupé AT, Mercedes C250 CDI coupé and the Renault Laguna Coupe V6. The diesel coupe section is an extremely tough market place anywhere throughout the world. Will the Audi A5 TDI Quattro be a success in Australia?

 

 

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Audi set United States records

Published by Servicing Stop in Audi Services on May 10th, 2012 | No Comments »

Audi have set brand new personal records in the United States. April sales equalled 11,521 last month which is an increase of 15 per cent from the previous year. This represents a 16th consecutive month of growth for the German luxury automakers. The fact that this was the best ever April for Audi in this period was also a significant milestone.

The Audi A6

The Audi A6, A7, A8 and Q7 were major players in Audi’s performance last month The Audi A6 in particular saw a rise of 136.8 per cent for April. In terms of it’s sales for 2012 so far, there is a 100 per cent increase.

Audi A7, the Audi Q5 and the Audi Q7

Audi A7 sales increased by 91.2 per cent last month. Audi SUV’s in general performed brilliantly in the sales charts with the Audi Q5 saw a sales increase of 24.5 per cent when comparing the same month of 2011. The Audi Q7 recorded a 12.3 per cent increase. The Audi A6,A7 and Q5 models have all recorded increases in terms of year upon year sales.

Audi TDI engines

The United States are becoming more and more environmentally conscious with the high cost of petrol. Audi’s TDI diesel engines have gone a long way into helping Audi reach such high sale figures in the month of March. The Audi A3 TDI along with the Audi Q7 TDI helped the company reach such great sales figures.

Technologically advanced vehicles

The President of Audi, Johan de Nysschen has said how he expects improvements for the rest of the year. He said “Audi’s progressive luxury positioning in the market clearly speaks to discerning consumers as they are seeking out the most technologically advanced vehicles in the market. This is the fundamental reason why Audi has set record sales in sixteen consecutive months and will continue to register steady and sustainable sales improvements.”

Will Audi join their German rivals at the top?

Audi are clearly making strides in the United States, the world’s biggest luxury car market. All the hype last year was about BMW and Mercedes-Benz, with their battle for the top being one of the most interesting car stories for years. It now appears that Audi are making an impression, increasing the possibility of their being a three way battle in the next few years.

 

Audi finally secure Ducati

Published by Servicing Stop in Audi Services on April 30th, 2012 | No Comments »

Audi have bought Ducati for an estimated £708 million. After months of speculation and negotiating the deal has finally been completed. The deal also involves Audi taking responsibility for Ducati’s liabilities which are worth £150 million.

Catching up with BMW

Some put Audi’s decision down to them wanting to close the gap with German counterparts, BMW. BMW are currently the world’s leading luxury car manufacturer with Audi lagging behind in second place, ahead of Mercedes-Benz. BMW have a sport bike division too which is performing quite at present. Expect Audi to pull out all the stops to knock BMW off their pedestal.

A second chance

Audi almost completed the deal for the Italian brand back in 1984. Ferdinand Piech, the Volkswagen Group Chairman has spoken of his regret at not purchasing the company back then when it was put up for sale. Eventually the company was bought by the founders of Cagiva, the Castiglioni brothers.

The impact Audi may have

Audi will bring a lot of much needed expertise and power to the Ducati brand. Currently there are 40,000 being produced every year. This is a significantly small amount within the motorcycle industry. Clever marketing and strategy will ensure that Audi does not lose money from investment and covers some ground on BMW, who are one of their main rivals. The Volkswagen Group have a history of revitalising automotive brands. In the past they have taken on the likes of Lamborghini and Bentley, managing to completely turn their fortunes around.

Will Ducati’s become more economical?

Audi are likely to provide expert technology ideas on ways to make their bikes fuel efficient and economical whilst offering a tremendous performance at the same time. Audi’s natural quality and success is bound to rub off over many aspects of the Ducati Company. As the deal is at it’s earliest stages it is unknown as exactly what areas of the company Audi will improve or change yet.

Ducati values, principles and philosophy will remain

One aspect that can be guaranteed is that the values and philosophy of Ducati is certain to be kept. The Volkswagen Group have a habit of ensuring that company values are kept no matter what business they take over. They always show a great respect for the respective company involved.

Will Ducati’s fortunes change? Will this help Audi knock off BMW from the top spot?

 

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Audi expanding in Mexico

Published by Servicing Stop in Audi Services on April 27th, 2012 | No Comments »

Audi have recently confirmed plans to open a new plant in Mexico. They are clearly pushing to edge closer to BMW, the world’s leading luxury car manufacturer.

Which model?

However it must be noted that the new factory will not be built and will produce any vehicles until 2016. It has been confirmed that a luxury sports utility vehicle will be built at the factory. It is not yet known whether that will be the Q3, Q5 or Q7 as of yet.

The prominence of Mexico

Experts believe the new development will cost around $2 billion. This has not been confirmed by Audi as of yet. The fact that production will commence in Mexico shows the progress that the country is clearly making.  A luxurious brand such as Audi investing in the country would bring great prosperity and hope to the countries automotive industry. Last year Mexico finished 8th in the world when ranking total vehicles produced in a single country. In total Mexico managed to produce 2.6 million vehicles which is a wonderful achievement.

It makes great business sense for more car producers to invest in Mexico. Exports are made a whole lot easier thanks to agreements with the United States, Canada, the South American region and the European Union.

Rupert Stadler, the Chairman of the Board of Management from Audi commented on the advantages of producing in Mexico saying that “(Mexico) offers an excellent economic basis for Audi production operations. Good infrastructure, competitive cost structures and existing free trade agreements played a significant role in the choice of Mexico.”

Catching up with BMW and Mercedes-Benz

It is hoped that Audi can finally rival the likes of Mercedes-Benz and BMW in the United States. Currently the battle is primarily between the latter. Although Audi are the fastest growing car manufacturer in the company, they really need a base for production nearby to heavily compete. This recent announcement could be the answer. It is in this particular area where BMW and Mercedes-Benz currently hold the advantage at present. BMW have a factory located in Spartanburg, South Carolina where X-model SUV’s are made. Mercedes-Benz build the M-Class, GL-Class and the R-Class in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The ever famous C-Class is also expected to be built over in the United States in from the year 2014.

Audi’s amazing growth has continued this year, not only in the United States, but across all other important car markets around the world.

 

 

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Audi loses out to BMW

Published by Servicing Stop in Audi Services on April 23rd, 2012 | No Comments »

BMW have managed to beat Audi’s sales in the first quarter of 2012. Audi remain the fastest growing luxury brand but were still unable match BMW so far this year.

How all three lined up

This year’s success was mainly down to the new redesigned BMW 3 Series, the companies all time top seller. It has proven to be a massive hit in the United States. Sales in March alone reached a total of 29,004. Within the first three months of the year, BMW managed to sell 356,548 vehicles which represents an increase of 11 per cent from February. Clearly the car is showing a very positive pattern for the rest of the year. Mercedes-Benz sold just 313,902 with Audi coming in with 346,100 sales in total.

Luxury v Mass Car Production

All three German luxury manufacturers are targeting record sales this year, with the luxury car market expanding throughout the world. This represents a stark contrast with the mass production market. The likes of Vauxhall and Peugeot are producing too many cars, with production figures not hitting the current demand.

BMW in confident mood

Ian Robertson, the head of BMW sales has come out and said “The BMW Group achieved an all-time high in sales last month and the best first quarter in its history. We aim to continue the momentum with additional new models this year.” Can Audi topple BMW with their German rivals expressing such a great amount of confidence?

New models to rival Audi

That is not all however. There will be an addition of a BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe, with the four door vehicle expected to sell quite well. A new BMW 7 Series luxury sedan may also deter sales away from Audi. The launch of BMW’s new models may mean that they will finish behind Audi yet again in terms of profit, but will remain as the world’s number one luxury car producer.

Sales expectations

In total BMW hope to sell 1.39 million for 2012. Audi are expected to sell 1.29 million with Mercedes-Benz aiming for sales of 1.28 million.

Audi’s new hybrid A3

Audi are hoping to revive their sales campaign by introducing the new Audi A3 compact model. Keeping in line with the future of the automotive industry the new A3 will come available as a plug-in hybrid.

Audi’s first quarter

Audi also posted record sales in the first quarter. This was hugely down to sales in China, Audi’s number one car market increasing by 41 per cent to 25,941.

 

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The new 2012 Audi A8 Hybrid

Published by Servicing Stop in Audi Services on April 17th, 2012 | No Comments »

The Audi A8 is one of the most desirable luxury vehicles in the world. It has now been made more attractive with a hybrid power train being installed under the bonnet. Now the splendid vehicle is a lot more economical. This new model will be the flagship variant from the Audi A8 range.

The total power of the vehicle will stand at 242 BHP, with its newly found green values not dampening the power by much. The four cylinder 2.0 petrol engines combines with an electric motor.

Economical

The C02 emissions will be recorded at 147g/km. An average of 45 MPG is what Audi have said that the A8 will achieve.

First deliveries

If you want one the first deliveries of the car will be at the very start of 2013. News of the car is at it’s very earliest stages so prices have not been confirmed.

Different driving modes

Audi’s new eight speed Tiptronic automatic transmission helps the car save motorists at the fuel pumps. There will also be three driving modes which allow the driver to cater towards the type of drive in which they wish to experience. EV is the most economical version with the car giving more priority towards the electric motor. D is a mixture of both as it combines the petrol and electric motor together. S stands for Sports and provides a sportier type of experience.

Other features

The new hybrid power train is not the only exciting feature upon the new Audi A8. There will be beautifully styled 19 inch alloy wheels.

The standard equipment includes a three zone climate control system, LED headlights, a DAB radio, satellite navigation, adaptive suspension, a Bose Stereo system along with a Noise Cancellation system which improves the driving experience.

From the outside, the Hybrid is distinguished from other A8s by its turbine-style 19-inch alloy wheels, hybrid badges and unique paintwork, while it has a list of standard equipment over and above the existing SE.

Not a sports car

Being a luxury car, the Audi A8 is designed to be driven smoothly and conservatively.  Many use the car as a chauffeur vehicle. When driven with that extra bit of power, the noise levels are not as nice as you may expect. That’s why you shouldn’t really rev the vehicle hard as the four cylinders are not designed to cope with too much pressure.

 

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The new Audi RS4

Published by Servicing Stop in Audi Services on February 17th, 2012 | No Comments »

The Audi RS4 details have officially been released by the world’s fastest growing luxury car maker.

Performance

The highly anticipated vehicle will contain 444 BHP with a V8 engine reaching a top speed of 174 MPH. The Quattro four wheel drive system is sure to deliver an exciting performance by anybody’s standards.  In just 4.7 seconds the car will be able to reach 0-62 MPH and will be limited to 155 MPH or 174 MPH. Pretty quick for a family estate car some are probably thinking.

7 Speed S tronic

There will be a 7 speed S tronic twin clutch gearbox which will contain a launch function. The long seventh gear is installed for economic purposes, helping the vehicle reach a great 25.7 MPG (upon the EU Combined cycle)

Differential technology

Audi’s crown gear differential technology will allow the car to direct up to 85 per cent of the car’s power towards the rear wheels. The sport differential technology upon the rear axle within the car will allow the RS4 to switch power between all wheels in order for the car to gather the best possible grip.

Intelligence within

The car’s steering has been described as “speed dependent” by some expert reviews thanks to it’s intelligent functionality. The electro mechanical power assistance caters for various levels of grip when the car is braking. The brakes come with an option of a 380mm carbon fibre ceramic discs that also contain six piston callipers.

Three driver settings

There are three different options available in terms of the driver settings. These include comfort, automatic or dynamic. The three selections determine the steering, gearbox and throttle. The volume of the exhaust is also able to be controlled. The rigidity of the Dynamic Ride Control adaptive damping can also be cleverly modified.

Larger than the Audi A4 Avant

The Audi RS4 stands larger than the Audi A4 Avant. It is 20 mm longer and a great 24 mm wider.

In terms of style the car has brand new sills, a more spectacular sports exhaust system, wider wheel arches and more attractive new bumpers.

No prices announced

Prices for the car have not yet been announced. For those of you who can’t wait the car has been sketched in to make an appearance in showrooms across the UK in September. Rumours claim that the car will cost £55,000 when on show.

Expert previews have praised the car as something quite special. We believe despite it’s high price it will make a huge impact and prove to be worth the price tag.

 

Only 10 Audi R8 GT Spyder’s allocated to South Africa

Published by Servicing Stop in Audi Services on January 24th, 2012 | No Comments »

Out of the 333 Audi R8 GT Spyder’s being made, 10 of them will be allocated to South Africa it has been confirmed.

The Audi R8 GT Spyder is indeed a more powerful and agile version of the actual R8. The Audi R8 Spyder GT improves what was already a tremendous vehicle. It’s rarity is a sign of just how superb the car is.

Andreas Graf

Andreas Graf highlighted the improvements saying “We had to do a lot of extra work on the new body panels, the revised suspension set-up and the modified aerodynamics. Taking out 85kg not only affects the structure and the balance but also wind and road noise. The new splitter, lighter undertray and the substantially bigger rear diffusor also affect downforce and aerodynamic stability. So we took these cars to the Nordschleife to make sure they’re up to scratch, and as sporty and involving as the coupe.”

Lighter

One major difference as mentioned by Andreas Graf is how light in weight the car is as compared to the standard R8. The 85 KG weight loss gives the car greater agility and manoeuvrability as well as the speed. The carbon fibre materials around the car are one of the main reasons for how light it is. Expect more and more sport vehicles to contain the material in the future, as it enhances economical benefits too.

Inside the cabin

Inside the Audi R8 GT Spyder no one will be left disappointed. The satellite navigation as well as the iPod connectivity systems are great assets to have. The top of the range B&O sound system come with seven active speakers.

No manual gearbox

The Audi R8 GT Spyder will not come with a manual gearbox. The lack of demand has justified it not going into production.

Performance

The car’s performance, as you may have expected is quite sublime. The engine is capable of producing 552 BHP, which is 35 BHP more than the original Audi R8 V10 Spyder. It is however 10 BHP less than the Performante engine placed in the Lamborghini. It can reach 0 – 62 MPH in just 3.8 seconds, beating the Performante in question. The Performante top speed is however 203 MPH, 5 MPH more than the Audi R8 GT Spyder.

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Audi sales in the Middle East soar

Published by Servicing Stop in Audi Services on January 23rd, 2012 | No Comments »

Audi’s sales in the Middle East have rocketed according to official figures. Although the company are still quite a bit behind German counterparts BMW and Mercedes-Benz in that particular region, the company achieved the highest growth rate.

Sales by region

Audi’s total sales in the region equated to 7,865 in 2011. 40 % of those sales occurred in the UAE. This beats their 2010 record by a huge 26.8 %. A new dealership which recently opened up in Iraq helped to shift a further 128 cars.

Saudi Arabia sold 1,522 cars last year managing to eclipse 2010’s figure by 35.7 %. Kuwait saw a rise of 3.3 % selling a total of 1,060 cars.

Dubai saw 1,887 Audi cars being sold which represented a 39 % increase. Abu Dhabi saw sales of 1,250 Audi’s which represented a huge 42 % increase. This eclipsed BMW’s growth figures by 19 %.

How?

How have Audi increased their market share by such a great amount? They are competing against rival manufacturers and taking some of their customers successfully. Rivals include the likes of BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Jaguar, Infiniti as well as Volvo.

Marketing was also a highly influential tool in Audi achieving such a high market share. Their social media campaign brought 100,000 fans on board, which naturally helped sales increase.

Successful models

The Audi Q7 is seen as one of the best luxury SUV’s in the entire region. It stood as Audi’s best selling model once again which total sales reaching 1,588 for the year The Audi Q5, the compact SUV just below the Q7 managed to sell 1,218 which equated to an increase of 8.6 %. The Audi A8 L luxury sedan sales increased by 280.5 % selling 1,484. Sales of the Audi A6 executive sedan managed to grow by 9 % reaching a total of 1,127 for the whole year.

Jeff Mannering

Jeff Mannering, the Managing Director of Audi Middle East said that he expects Audi to continue their success into this year a build on what was a great 2011. He said “In 2012, Audi will continue to capture a significant share of the premium market with new model introductions including the eagerly awaited Audi Q3 and S models, and continued investment from our dealer network.”

Can Audi continue their growth rate into next year?

 

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