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At AUDI AG’s Annual Media Conference, CEO Gernot Döllner and CFO Jürgen Rittersberger presented and assessed the financial result for the 2023 fiscal year. They also offered a glimpse of the numerous models to be launched over the next two years and provided information on the company’s strategic focus. Their key statements at a glance:

Audi has impressively demonstrated “Vorsprung durch Technik” on the demanding dune circuit along the Dutch North Sea Coast in recent years. To date, Audi has competed at Zandvoort with the A4 DTM five times, celebrating victory on four of these occasions. Most recently, Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline triumphed three times in a row, and even 1-2-3-4 exploits were achieved in the past two years. Audi’s string of victories at Zandvoort is no coincidence. Its highly efficient aerodynamics is one of the Audi A4 DTM’s great fortes and particularly useful in medium-fast and fast corners – and these types of turns abound on the dune circuit. As early as three years ago the engineers at Audi Sport spearheaded a new trend which the competition has since followed too: Using CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) calculations, the air currents flowing around and through the vehicle were separated. With each model year this innovative concept was optimized, enabling two consecutive DTM title wins which have put Audi in a unique position: As the first automobile manufacturer in DTM history, the brand with the four rings has the chance of winning the title for the third time in a row. Zandvoort is an important stage in this endeavor. For Head of Audi Motorsport Dr. Wolfgang Ullrich’s squad, it is crucial to fully use this technical advantage and to score as many points as possible. The fact that all nine Audi drivers particularly enjoy driving at Zandvoort comes in handy too. Some of them even call the dune circuit their favorite track. The “King of Zandvoort” is Mattias Ekström: The Swede is the only driver to have won at Zandvoort more than once. In 2002, 2004 and 2008 he crossed the finish line as the winner. In 2006 Tom Kristensen triumphed, in 2007 it was Martin Tomczyk. Title defender Timo Scheider goes to Zandvoort as the leader of the standings. As usual, ARD will air live broadcasts of qualifying and the race from Zandvoort on “Das Erste.”

The meaning of “Vorsprung durch Technik” was demonstrated particularly impressively to the spectators last year during the standing starts. “Thanks to quattro drive last year we were able to immediately take the lead at every race,” raves Randy Pobst, who, as newcomer to Audi, was able to enjoy the benefits of quattro technology for the first time in 2003. Race and development by Champion Racing The two Audi RS 6 Competition cars with approximately 525 hp are developed and raced by Champion Racing and start under the banner of “Audi Certified Champion RS 6 Team” during the 2004 season. The production based RS 6 Competition was re-worked and improved in many details following last year’s successful debut. At the same time the regulations allow the RS 6 wider tyres than in the previous season. As compensation Champion Racing must however cope with reduced turbo pressure and furthermore the RS 6 must weigh more than 1400 kilograms – an enormous load, especially for the tyres and brakes. Two champions for Champion Racing Team colleague of defending champion Randy Pobst this year, is again the Sicilian born Michael Galati. The Italian-American won the SPEED GT titles in 2001 and 2002 with the Audi S4 Competition. As a result Champion Racing has two champions in the team.

With premium products and a tailor-made ecosystem developed for the tech-savvy Chinese customer groups, Audi is recharging “Vorsprung durch Technik” and consequently building on its already strong foundation for its future growth in the world’s largest and fastest-growing EV market.

With its characteristics, the electric SUV stands for Vorsprung durch Technik. The model is defined not only by impressive driving and charging performance, but also by increased efficiency and long range. The Audi Q6 e-tron embodies typical Audi SUV styling with a further refined e-tron design language. The new design philosophy in the interior and pioneering technologies debuting in the new model, begin the next chapter in electric mobility for the four Rings and make Vorsprung durch Technik a tangible experience every day. With the Q6 e-tron range, e-mobility is coming from the Ingolstadt plant for the first time. The Audi Q6 e-tron quattro and SQ6 e-tron will be available to order from March 2024 at a price of 74.700 and 93.800 euros and will be delivered to customers in the third quarter of 2024. The PPE, developed jointly with Porsche, and the E3 1.2 electronic architecture are important milestones in the expansion of Audi's global range of electrically powered models. They mark the start of a comprehensive strengthening and rejuvenation of the model portfolio. The Q6 e-tron underpins Audi’s promise to offer electric vehicles in all core segments by 2027.

With the launch of Premium Platform Electric (PPE), Audi is introducing a completely new electronics architecture. The E³ will be used for the first time in the 1.2 specification in the Audi Q6 e-tron series. The name E³ stands for end-to-end electronic architecture. Its core element consists of five high-performance computers (high-performance computing platform, HCP) that cover all vehicle functions – from the drive system and assistance systems to the infotainment and comfort systems to the safety systems and backend connectivity.

Audi S8 TFSI The Audi S8 combines progressive luxury with dynamic athleticism while honing its reputation as the benchmark for Vorsprung durch Technik with innovative suspension systems. Images Videos Engine type V8 engine Displacement in cc / bore x stroke in mm / compression 3996 / 86.0 x 86.0 / 10.1 Max. power output in kW (PS) / at rpm 420 (571) / 6000 Max. torque in Nm (lb-ft) / at rpm 800 (590.0) / 2050 - 4500 Top speed in km/h (mph) 250 (155.3) (governed) Acceleration, 0-100 km/h (0-62.1 mph) 3.8 Fuel consumption, combined in l/100 km (US mpg) 11.7 - 11.4 (20.1 - 20.6) CO₂ emissions, combined in g/km (g/mi) 265 - 258 (426.5 - 415.2) CO₂ class G Unladen weight without driver / with driver / gross weight limit in kg (lb) 2220 (4894.3) / 2295 (5059.6) / 2710 (5974.5)

The Audi RS Q e-tron is technically a quantum leap. And visually, the futuristic-looking prototype is also clearly different from typical Dakar vehicles. It is the result of an internal competition in the Audi Design department. “There were many great designs,” says Juan Manuel Diaz, who is responsible for the design of the racing vehicles at Audi. “We liked Dario Tomorad’s proposal the best. Together with him and the whole team, we have put together a fascinating car in an extremely short period of time that is completely different, but is still recognizable as an Audi at first glance.” “Most of the cars in the Dakar Rally are rather boxy,” says Dario Tomorad. “Audi is known for doing things differently. We are incorporating the dynamics of our production models to the race car. We have a coupe-like silhouette, similar to the e-tron Sportback and we’ve taken inspiration from our unique motorsport history.” Audi Sport is returning to its roots with its involvement in the Dakar Rally. The Audi quattro revolutionized rallying in the early 1980s. The distinctive angular body panel shapes of the original quattro can also be found on the Audi RS Q e-tron. The vertical fin on the rear decklid and the air intake on the roof, which supplies sufficient cooling air to the electric motors, the high-voltage battery and the energy converter, are reminiscent of Audi’s successful era in the Le Mans 24 Hours. The protrusions behind the doors are based on the side blades of the Audi R8. They have a completely different purpose on the Audi RS Q e-tron: they house the two spare wheels that are typically carried on board during the Dakar Rally. The rear of the ‘desert ship’, which the designers are particularly excited about in the dark, looks particularly futuristic: the rear edge of the fin consists of LEDs that function as brake lights. The shape of the headlights and tail lights are also typically Audi. The Audi RS Q e-tron looks like a UFO from the front. Because the vehicles jum