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Audi is further expanding its worldwide production network and thus continuing along its path of global growth. This Friday, the Audi Board of Management opened the company’s first automobile plant on the North American continent. Starting now, the brand with the Four Rings will produce the new generation of the Audi Q5* for the world market in San José Chiapa in Mexico’s federal state of Puebla. The plant has an annual production capacity of approximately 150,000 premium SUVs. By the end of the year, a total of 4,200 jobs will be created locally at Audi México.

Audi is taking the wraps off a glittering array of new products at the motor show in Paris. Sporty, efficient, stylish and with high everyday usability – it has the right offering for every customers. The Ingolstadt carmaker is showing the new Audi Q5* and the new Audi RS 3 Sedan to an international audience for the very first time. Other models in the limelight include the Audi A5* and Audi S5 Sportback*, flanked by an array of other models from the brand with the four rings.

Today AUDI AG, BMW Group, Daimler AG, Ericsson, Huawei, Intel, Nokia and Qualcomm Incorporated, announce the formation of the “5G Automotive Association”. The association will develop, test and promote communications solutions, support standardization and accelerate commercial availability and global market penetration. The goal is to address society’s connected mobility and road safety needs with applications such as connected automated driving, ubiquitous access to services and integration into smart cities and intelligent transportation.

39,500 spectators (throughout the weekend) witnessed a strong performance by the Audi squad in positions one to six on Saturday and a one-two result on Sunday. Following the exclusion of Daniel Juncadella (Mercedes-Benz) and Marco Wittmann (BMW) from the classification, two Audi drivers – Edoardo Mortara and Jamie Green – before the finale at Hockenheim still have chances of clinching the drivers’ title. In the manufacturers’ and teams’ classifications, Audi clearly ranks at the top. Quotes following the DTM’s visit to Hungary.

With the TT S line competition*, Audi brings the sporty character of the TT Coupé* and TT Roadster* even more to the fore. The special model includes an array of striking details for the exterior and interior – from the fixed rear wing to the Audi virtual cockpit with sport screen. The special edition will be available from the end of 2016.

Audi has put a new topcoat paint shop into operation at its plant in Ingolstadt. Board of Management Member for Production Prof. Dr. Hubert Waltl opened the 12,000 square meter building (129,000 sq. ft.) on Tuesday together with Plant Director Albert Mayer and Group Works Council Chairman Peter Mosch. Up to 900 car bodies a day can be painted there on three floors. Thanks to environmentally friendly technology, the modern application equipment will conserve resources. Ergonomically designed workplaces will make the employees’ work easier.

Audi makes its bestselling Q3* even more attractive. New details in the exterior design more sharply differentiate the design and sport trim lines as well as the S line exterior package. The Audi Q3 S line competition augments the lineup with a sporty new special edition. Start of sales is scheduled for fall 2016.

AUDI AG delivered around 132,350 cars to customers in August. As such, global sales exceeded the prior-year month by 2.9 percent. Most recently, the demand for automobiles with the Four Rings developed positively especially in China (+8.8%), the United Kingdom (+13.2%) and Spain (+23.3%). By contrast, weaker conditions of some markets in South America, Eastern Europe and the Middle East were also reflected in Audi’s sales balance. Cumulative global sales increased by 4.9 percent since January to around 1,234,900 cars and are up in all the brand’s core regions: in Europe (+7.4%), Asia-Pacific (+3.8%) and North America (+5.2%).

72,500 spectators experienced a tremendous anniversary weekend of the DTM at the Nürburgring that ended on Sunday in an Audi show, with Edoardo Mortara clinching his third victory this season in the Castrol EDGE Audi RS 5 DTM. The victory in the DTM’s 50th visit to the Nürburgring also marked the 50th triumph of Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline that brought all four cars into the points on Sunday.

Audi is strengthening the digital footprint of the brand in its largest global market. Audi China and the brand’s joint venture FAW-Volkswagen signed tripartite memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with Alibaba, Baidu, and Tencent respectively. The partners will deepen their cooperation in the areas of data analysis, internet-vehicle platform building and urban intelligent transport.

Seven years after the birth of the A5 Sportback*, the new version now makes its appearance. The five-door coupé blends elegant, emotional design with high functionality and abundant interior comfort. The family-friendly car is perfectly connected and offers the latest infotainment features. Plus, the second generation comes with a completely reengineered suspension, high-performance drives and innovative driver assistance systems. The S5* takes to the road with a new six-cylinder turbo engine developing a mighty 354 hp and 500 Nm (368.8 lb-ft). In a new departure, the A5 Sportback is also available as a bivalent g-tron*, which customers can run on either Audi e-gas, natural gas or gasoline.

Audi leads the pack – including in the tests conducted by “Auto Bild” magazine. The latest issue of the motoring publication lists the top 100 test cars, arranged in ten different categories. Audi is out in front wherever dynamics, driving safety and comfort are the key attributes – with two class wins for the Audi R8 V10 plus, 15 further top placings and a remarkable achievement in the noise emissions (interior acoustics) category.

Audi is going to intensify its future commitment in the world’s first racing series for fully electric race cars. Starting in the 2016/2017 season that opens in Hong Kong on October 9, Audi will increase its involvement in Formula E Team ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport. In addition, it is planned to incorporate Formula E into a factory-backed motorsport program as of the 2017/2018 season.

Following its successful launch in the USA, Audi at home is now also available for the first time in Asia. In Hong Kong, residents of the exclusive “Dragons Range” complex can make flexible use of a fleet of selected Audi models. The automobiles are located on-site and can be booked by smartphone, complemented by all-encompassing service through a concierge desk. The mobility program will also be introduced into other high-class real estate projects in this Asian megacity in the future. With the service, Audi is offering new ways to experience the brand with the four rings in one of the world’s most demanding automotive markets.

For the second time, readers of Computer Bild magazine have honored Audi connect as the best connectivity package in the automobile industry. In the prestigious “Golden Computer” competition, their votes put Audi connect in first place in the “connected car” category.

40 years ago, Audi presented the first five-cylinder gasoline engine in the second-generation Audi 100. Enhancements and new developments followed, with turbocharging, emissions control and four-valve technology, rally engines and five-cylinder diesel units. Today, the 2.5 TFSI in the Audi RS 3 Sportback* and in the Audi TT RS* carries on the great tradition of five-cylinder powerplants.

Dr. Thomas M. Müller will be the new Head of Electrics/Electronics of AUDI AG. The 45 year old is considered a proven expert on the topics of connected car and electronic systems. He succeeds Ricky Hudi, who is leaving the company at his own request and by mutual understanding after 19 successful years. Hudi will found and lead his own technology and consulting firm. Among others, Hudi will provide consulting for the location platform company HERE, in which Audi, BMW and Daimler have become investors.

Audi is expanding its activities in China. Together with Volkswagen Automatic Transmission Tianjin (VWATJ), the premium brand is inaugurating a new transmission plant this Monday. The plant, in the northern China harbor city of Tianjin, will supply highly efficient 7-speed S tronic transmissions for the new Audi A4 L and other locally produced models.

Audi is upping the ante at the market launch of its new compact SUV with a particularly sporty model. The Audi Q2 Edition #1 features an exclusive quantum gray paint finish, black and Manhattan gray exterior details, 19-inch wheels and a long list of standard equipment. Customers can place their orders beginning in early September.

AUDI AG has started the second half of the year with sales growth: In July, the company sold 149,400 units, up 2.3 percent year-on-year. The brand increased sales in all three core regions – in North America by 5.9 percent, in Asia-Pacific by 4.4 percent and in Europe by 1.5 percent. The new Audi A4 was the bestselling model worldwide with around 30,450 units and growth of 14.9 percent. Since January, the carmaker has delivered around 1,102,650 cars to customers from its entire portfolio, an increase of 5.2 percent.

In the mobility of the future, the recuperation of energy plays an increasingly important role, including in a car’s suspension. Audi is working on a prototype called “eROT,” in which electromechanical rotary dampers replace the hydraulic dampers used today for an even more comfortable ride.

This Thursday, the one-millionth Audi Q5 drove off the production line at Audi’s main plant in Ingolstadt. The jubilee car, an SQ5 in Sepang Blue, will be delivered to a family in Germany. The international success of the Audi Q5 began in 2008, when Audi launched this model in the segment of mid-range SUVs – the second Q-model from the brand with the Four Rings after the Audi Q7. Since then, the Audi Q5 has developed into a favorite with the customers and is to be seen on the roads of more than 100 countries. Because Audi produces this top-seller also in China and India for the respective local markets, worldwide deliveries sum up to nearly 1.6 million vehicles.

Worldwide growth in car deliveries and robust key financials: Since the beginning of the year, the Audi Group has delivered more than 950,000 automobiles of the Audi brand and increased its revenue to €30.1 billion. Operating profit amounts to approximately €2.7 billion before special items, representing an operating return on sales of 8.8 percent. Earnings were reduced by special items totaling €265 million.

The Audi Q7 3.0 TDI quattro* has won the overall winner title for 2016 from the trade magazine “AUTO TEST”. Along with the sporty SUV, the Audi A6 Avant 2.0 TDI ultra* drove in a win in the upper midsize category as the best value for money.

Neckarsulm is delighted: The Audi Sport customer racing team has completed the 200th Audi R8 LMS. Since 2009, the brand with the four rings has been involved in international GT3 racing with a race car for customers and developed a sales and service network around the globe, numerous supporting services and technology offerings.

Following the disappointment on Saturday, Audi impressively came back in the second of the two DTM races at Zandvoort (Netherlands). Jamie Green (Audi Sport Team Rosberg) celebrated a commanding victory on Sunday. Edoardo Mortara (Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline) completed Audi’s triumph with a third place.

The new Audi Q2* celebrated its public debut this spring, followed in early June by the Audi A5 and the S5 Coupé*. Orders are now being accepted for all three models. The trio will hit the streets in fall.

Audi unveiled the new R8 Spyder V10* at the 2016 New York International Auto Show in March. Pre-sales are starting in Europe tomorrow. The base price in Germany is €179,000.

Success in the Automotive Brand Contest: The German Design Council has honored Audi Communications for the high quality and innovation of its rendering of technical processes and complex technologies. The premium brand was named “Winner” of the Corporate Publishing category of the celebrated design competition for its overall concept of technical animations, illustrations and the Audi Technology Portal.

The Audi Q2* is a winner in the Automotive Brand Contest: The compact SUV captured “Best of the Best” honors in the Exterior Premium Brand category. The award ceremony will be held in Paris on September 29, 2016.

Positive sales result for the Four Rings for the half year: With around 953,200 units delivered, AUDI AG increased its sales since January by 5.6 percent, growing in all regions. The brand recorded strong growth especially in Europe. Sales in that region increased by 8.4 percent since the beginning of the year, topping 450,000 cars for the first time. Worldwide, especially the new models Audi A4 (+12.3%) and Audi Q7 full size SUV (+73,6%) pushed the sales performance. Deliveries across all models increased by 7.4 percent in June to around 169,000 units with Audi surpassing its performance from the same month last year in all top ten sales markets.

On its way to becoming a digital car company, Audi is making its production sites fit for the digital future. In recognition of this, the company received the “Digital Economy Award” from Initiative Deutschland Digital (IDD) in Bonn this Tuesday. The brand with the Four Rings took first place in the category Company 4.0.

A new car for the main plant of AUDI AG in Ingolstadt: The Audi Q2 has now entered series production there. With this compact SUV “made in Ingolstadt,” the brand with the Four Rings has entered a completely new segment while showing its commitment to its main site on the River Danube. Innovations such as a fully automatic module store in the assembly process help to master increasing production complexity.

Audi is bringing its digital showroom concept to another major metropolis: the sixth Audi City worldwide opens today in Moscow. In the immediate vicinity of Red Square, inside the bustling Nikol’skaya Plaza shopping mall, visitors to the 600 square meter (6,458 sq ft) space are treated to a virtual experience of the complete product portfolio from the four rings.

Audi has another DTM winner: youngster Nico Müller (24) won a turbulent DTM race at the Norisring on Sunday, causing Audi to triumph twice within the space of 24 hours in its “home round” in Nuremberg.

AUDI AG sold around 164,150 cars to customers in May, representing a global increase of 6.7 percent year on year. With their new model generations, growth for the A4 Sedan and the A4 Avant reached 16.2 percent. The new Q7 full size SUV also continued its successful start, up 79.6 percent in May. For the entire model lineup, Audi sales increased in all of the brand’s three key regions – by 9.7 percent in Europe, by 5.7 percent in Asia Pacific and by 3.8 percent in North America. Worldwide deliveries since January rose to around 784,250, up 5.3 percent compared with the same period in 2015.

Audi revolutionized its mid-size class in 2007 with the A5. The Ingolstadt-based carmaker created a work of art that took fans around the world by storm. Nine years later marks the launch of the second generation – with a new, honed look and high tech everywhere. The new generation of the A5 Coupé* is athletic, sporty and elegant. Its design goes hand in hand with sophisticated aerodynamics. Under the skin the A5 impresses with an all-new chassis, powerful engines, and innovative infotainment features and driver assistance systems.

The Audi 2.5 TFSI engine has won the “International Engine of the Year” award. This is the seventh consecutive year that Audi has won the coveted award in the 2-liter to 2.5-liter category.

The Audi Group has reported a successful first quarter of 2016 despite challenging conditions. In the first three months of this year, it generated revenue of €14,511 million. Operating profit for the period amounts to €1,202 million and includes negative special items totaling €100 million. The operating return on sales of 8.3 percent is within the strategic target corridor of eight to ten percent despite the special items.

Audi is now equipping its new models that use the second-generation modular infotainment platform with Audi connect SIM. The advantage of factory-installed SIM card: Customers can immediately use the wide range of Audi connect services with the accompanying data flat rate for up to three years – even outside Germany.

Audi continues to push the digital empowerment of its sales activities: the world's fourth location of the brand’s digital showroom – Audi City Istanbul – goes online today on the Bosporus. Cyber stores in more major cities will follow this year. In addition, digital technologies from the Audi City concept will be introduced in around 200 traditional dealerships by the end of 2016.

The new Audi SQ7 TDI* has won the “Autocar Innovation Award 2016” hosted by the British motoring magazine Autocar. This award recognizes its outstanding technical solutions. The expert jury announced the winners yesterday evening in Silverstone, England.

The Audi Group has today published its Corporate Responsibility Interim Report 2015. In it, the company reports on key figures, activities and challenges in the area of sustainability, but also on the consequences of the diesel emissions issue. The focus this year is on climate protection, digitization and the modern world of work. Under the motto “Audi & Co.,” experts from the automobile manufacturer discuss topics of the future with opinion leaders from the fields of research and economics.

In 2016, the Audi Group aims once again to increase the number of cars delivered, maintain its high level of profitability and continue investing large amounts in the future. At the 127th Annual General Meeting this Thursday in Ingolstadt, the Board of Management of AUDI AG explained to the shareholders the financial statements for the year 2015, current developments and the goals for this year. In addition, Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG, provided an outlook on the coming decade for the premium brand.

AUDI AG has started the second quarter with further growth. In April, worldwide deliveries climbed by 7.5 percent year on year to around 164,350 automobiles. The four ring’s two largest markets China (+9.4%) and Germany (+12.4%) reported substantial growth rates. Globally, cumulative sales since January were up 4.9 percent on the corresponding period of 2015 at around 620,100 units. This was the first time ever in the Company’s history that over 600,000 customers had chosen an Audi in the opening four month period.

One year ago the Audi R8 LMS won the 24 Hours Nürburgring on its debut. The GT3 car’s victory marked the start of a successful year of motor racing for Audi Sport. The brand now celebrates the R8 LMS with the “selection 24h” special edition, a homage to its tally of 323 wins in national and international race assignments since 2009.

Edoardo Mortara is the first winner of the 2016 DTM season. The Italian from Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline kept his cool in the heated battle of the DTM season opener and gave Audi Sport its sixth DTM triumph in succession at the Hockenheimring.

Audi has won the unusually tough second round of the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) at Spa-Francorchamps. In temperatures above 25 degrees centigrade, in the end only two of the six hybrid sports cars from all manufacturers that had started finished at the front of the field in Belgium. Victory with a two-lap advantage was celebrated by Lucas di Grassi/Loïc Duval/Oliver Jarvis (BR/F/GB) following an impeccable race in their Audi R18.

Audi claims three wins at the Automotive Innovation Award. The award is presented by the research institute Center of Automotive Management (CAM) and PricewaterhouseCoopers AG (PwC). Audi wins the “Most Innovative Premium Brand” main prize. The brand with the four rings also receives awards for its innovations in the categories “Connected Car” and “Vehicle Concepts/Body”.

Audi is to present an impressive 3D video mapping light show at the Audi Forum Ingolstadt in advance of the world premiere of the new Audi A5 Coupe. On six consecutive evenings starting on Wednesday, May 25, visitors will be able to enjoy a spectacular light show by the renowned Hungarian group of artists “Maxin10sity.” Everyone is invited to the show – art fans, Audi employees and their families, as well as people from the region and beyond – when the 2,300-square-meter surface of the building on the Audi Piazza is transformed into a unique work of art during the “Audi Late Light Show.” Entry will be free of charge.

Making visions into “Vorsprung” – the development engineers of tomorrow would prefer to do that at Audi. In the latest study by trendence, a research institute, the brand with the Four Rings was ranked in first place for the ninth time in succession by engineering students. Audi also gained a top ranking once again from students of business management, taking second place. As an innovative company, Audi wants to strengthen its workforce with 1,200 more employees in its most important areas for the future. Digitization is increasingly creating new jobs.

Three new production models and a clever concept car – Audi is underscoring its role as the market leader in premium cars at Auto China 2016. Audi is presenting the TT RS Coupé* and the TT RS Roadster* to the public for the first time at the auto show, which runs from April 25 to May 4 in Beijing. Also making their debut are the new Audi A4 L and the Audi connected mobility concept car.

Audi is making its full-size A6 and A7 Sportback* car lines even more exclusive. The exterior of the Sedan and Avant is set to become a touch sharper, with all models featuring interior enhancements and new equipment. There is a new, comprehensive equipment package for the A6 allroad quattro*. The updated full-size family is available to order worldwide soon. Deliveries will take place in the summer.

For Marvel fans who can’t wait for the official movie release date on April 28, Audi is already offering an exclusive peek at the spectacular duel in the new Audi SQ7*.

Audi scoops two prizes in the “All-wheel Drive Car of 2016” reader survey from car magazine Auto Bild Allrad. The Audi A4 allroad quattro is the winner in the “All-wheel Crossover” category, the Audi A6* won the “All-wheel Car Over 40,000 Euros.” The award ceremony was held Thursday evening in Stuttgart.

Double record for the brand with the four rings: Audi concluded the best first quarter in the company’s history along with the most successful sales month. In March, Audi increased global sales by 4.6 percent to a monthly high of around 186,100. That brings cumulative deliveries since January to around 455,750 cars, 4 percent more than in the same quarter last year. Growth during the first three months was mainly driven by strong demand in Europe and America. Audi has also seen increases in China since the beginning of the year.

For four days Audi Sport prepared in pre-season tests at Hockenheim for the new DTM season that will start on the German Grand Prix circuit on May 7 and 8.

The successful model from Audi is now even more attractive: The Audi A3* approaches the starting line with new driver assistance systems and engines as well as newly designed headlights and taillights. Also new on board is the innovative operating and display concept, Audi virtual cockpit. The new A3 is available in a three-door version and as a Sportback, a sedan and a Cabriolet. The sporty Audi S3* version comes with numerous innovations and has even further enhanced its dynamic potential. The A3 series offers the most versatile line of drive systems in the compact segment with the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron* and the Audi A3 Sportback g-tron*.

This year’s prize for the best autonomous driving model car goes to Nuremberg. In the second edition of the Audi Autonomous Driving Cup, students at Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg and the technical college Nuremberg Georg Simon Ohm outscored teams from seven other colleges in a thrilling competition. The winners were happy to win prize money in the amount of 10,000 euros.

The Audi R8 Coupé* has been named “2016 World Performance Car” in the World Car Awards. The award ceremony took place Thursday during the New York Auto Show.

Audi has taken first place in the most categories in Auto Bild magazine’s reader survey. The magazine asked a total of 60,250 readers to rate the quality, service, value for money and image of 39 different car brands. Votes were tallied in a total of 13 car classes.

397 kW (540 hp), from 0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 3.6 seconds, top speed 318 km/h (197.6 mph) – the new Audi R8 Spyder* with V10 naturally aspirated engine merges impressive performance with the allure of open-top driving. Its striking design and high-end technologies demonstrate the concentrated expertise of the premium brand. Audi is unveiling its new open high-performance sports car at the New York International Auto Show 2016.

For the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and the Le Mans 24 Hours, Audi is emphasizing focal areas in the 2016 season: The Audi R18 that has been redesigned from scratch has almost nothing in common anymore with its predecessor. It features a more radical aerodynamics concept, including a new safety cell, its hybrid drive system is battery-operated for the first time, the V6 TDI engine has been revised, and new system solutions have been added. As a result, Audi’s LMP1 sports car is a vehicle that is more powerful and – once more – clearly more efficient than its predecessor. While the new R18 is Audi’s strongest race car to date, it consumes less fuel than any of the generations before it.

The new Audi A4 allroad quattro* is the perfect companion for all situations. With 34 mm (1.3 in) more ground clearance compared with the A4 Avant*, powerful engines and quattro drive as standard, it also has no trouble driving on terrain where the paved road ends. Customers in Europe can order the new versatile mid-size car now.

Audi Toolmaking is racing into the future. The company’s tooling specialists have now passed an important milestone. They have developed a new, highly efficient generation of tools that is up to 20 percent lighter and ten percent more stable than the previous generation. This has been made possible by lightweight and composite construction methods that are used in car body construction. The new tools are already being used in the press shop in Ingolstadt.

On a quest to create the piloted model car: The Audi Autonomous Driving Cup will be held for the second time from March 22 to 24, 2016. Eight university teams will take part in the competition at the Audi museum mobile in Ingolstadt. The miniature-format, automated-drive Audi Q5 models will face a challenging circuit, with prize money of EUR 10,000 awaiting the winners.

AUDI AG has extended its successful start to the year in February: worldwide deliveries increased by 3.3 percent year on year to around 126,500 cars. The company once again achieved high growth in Europe: up 8.1 percent to around 65,150 units. Here the new Audi A4 is already in dealerships. Global sales of the mid size model increased by 5.3 percent to around 22,650 units in February. Across the entire portfolio of the four rings, sales since the start of the year total around 269,650 cars, an increase of 3.6 percent compared with 2015.

With 320 kW (435 hp) and 900 Nm (663.8 lb ft) of torque, the new Audi SQ7 TDI* is the most powerful diesel SUV on the market. It also leads the competition in numerous other technical fields. Its redesigned 4.0 TDI engine features a world first: An electric powered compressor gives the SQ7 TDI outstanding off-the-line performance. Yet it consumes on average 7.2 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers (32.7 US mpg).

The Audi Group plans to launch more than 20 new or revised models and to continue its growth in 2016. Despite major challenges, the Ingolstadt based company performed successfully last year and set a new record for unit sales: Worldwide deliveries increased compared with 2014 by 3.6 percent to 1,803,246 automobiles. As a result of the strong demand, the company achieved a new record also for revenue, posting a figure of €58.4 billion. Operating profit amounted to €4.8 billion and operating profit before special items of €5.1 billion was at the high level of the previous year. Before the worldwide rollout of important models like the new Audi A4, the operating return on sales amounted to 8.3 percent despite the challenging conditions, and was thus within the strategic target corridor of eight to ten percent; before special items it was 8.8 percent.

Audi strengthens its presence in the booming SUV segment. At the Geneva Motor Show, the brand is unveiling the compact Audi Q2* – an urban car for everyday driving and leisure with a progressive design and youthful charm. It is flanked by two new top models at its world debut – the Audi S4 Avant* and the Audi RS Q3 performance*.

Customers in Europe can order the Audi Q7 e-tron 3.0 TDI quattro* from the beginning of March. Deliveries of the new model will commence in summer 2016. In purely electric mode, the plug-in hybrid SUV achieves a range of up to 56 kilometers (34.8 mi) in the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), making local journeys emission-free.

The highly influential magazine Consumer Reports has ranked Audi the “best car brand” in 2016. Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG: “We are extremely happy about the good news. The ranking confirms the substance of our products and the success of our growth strategy in the USA.”

As of March 15, 2016, Stephan Winkelmann (51) will be the new CEO of quattro GmbH, a 100 percent subsidiary of AUDI AG, which produces and distributes the high performance R and RS models. Winkelmann was President and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. since January 1, 2005. Heinz Hollerweger (62), the current Head of quattro GmbH, is to retire after almost 40 years of successful work for Audi.

The Hollywood comedy “Hail, Caesar!” from Oscar winners Joel and Ethan Coen opened the 66th Berlin International Film Festival. The star ensemble around George Clooney and the appearance of Berlinale jury president Meryl Streep at the premiere triggered a flurry of flashes on the red carpet. Also premiering was the Audi Q7 e-tron 3.0 TDI quattro, which chauffeured the stars to the red carpet purely on electric power and emission-free. Audi has been one of the primary partners of the Berlinale since 2014 and not only provides the fleet, but also stages the Berlinale Open House, a comprehensive side program for film fans and trade visitors.

Following last year’s record-breaking sales, AUDI AG continues to grow in 2016. With around 143,150 units, the company managed to increase its year-on-year global deliveries by 4 percent in January. Demand for the four rings developed especially positively in Europe, with sales increasing here by 6.5 percent to around 59,900 cars. The brand’s SUV models once again proved to be the global growth drivers. The cumulative sales of the Audi Q3, Q5 and Q7 of around 46,350 units was 20.3 percent above the previous year’s figure.

Audi ignites the next stage of performance in the compact, high-performance SUV segment: The Audi RS Q3 performance* impresses with an output of 270 kW (367 hp) and 465 Nm (343.0 lb ft) of torque. This incredible power catapults the new top-of-the-line model from 0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in just 4.4 seconds. Standard top speed is 270 km/h (167.8 mph).

Watch movie stars on the red carpet, take a peek behind the scenes and rub shoulders with prominent guests: Audi is offering some one-of-a-kind experiences at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival. With the “Berlinale Open House” series, the Audi Berlinale Lounge will present visitors with a multifaceted program of events. One particular highlight this year are the “Berlinale Lounge Nights,” when the lounge will transform into a club where prominent personalities from the film industry provide the right music.

The readers of the magazine “auto motor und sport” have voted Audi to three first places in the “Best Cars 2016” poll. The Audi A1 was crowned the best small car, the Audi A4 emerged winner of the “Midsize” category and the Audi Q7 was the most impressive model among the “Large SUVs”.

Audi is preparing its international production network for the mobility of the future. Large series production of the first purely electric driven SUV from Audi will begin at the site in Brussels in 2018. The plant will also assembly its own batteries. The company will transfer production of the Audi A1 from Belgium to Martorell in Spain. The Audi Q3, which is currently produced in Spain, will be built in Győr (Hungary) in the future.

The Audi A4 allroad quattro* and the technology study Audi h-tron quattro concept: Their world debuts enable the brand with the four rings to showcase the innovation fields of Audi quattro, connectivity and fuel cell technology at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit.

AUDI AG achieved a new sales record in 2015: Compared with 2014, worldwide deliveries increased by 3.6 percent to around 1,803,250 automobiles. This total was achieved despite the fact that the first representatives of the current model initiative – the new A4, the new Q7 and the new R8 – were not yet available in all regions of the world. In Europe and China, Audi confirmed its position as the most successful premium brand; in the United States, the brand with the four rings grew at twice the rate of the market. In December, around 158,450 customers worldwide chose an Audi, an increase of 5.6 percent. This means that the company has increased its sales for the 72nd successive month.

Electrification, digitalization and piloted driving: Audi is making these three future trends of the automotive industry the focus of its appearance at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES). The world’s most important electronics show takes place January 6–9, 2016, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Audi will lay the foundations for future growth in 2016. In the coming financial year, the company plans to continue with its high levels of investment. Along with further process and cost optimization, the planned capital expenditure is to amount to more than € 3 billion, and will support the Ingolstadt-based company along its successful path. Half of the planned investment will take place at the German sites in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm. Furthermore, Audi will recruit additional experts in the field of future technologies once again in 2016.

The process of commissioning the other way around: Starting today, logistics employees at Audi will no longer have to fetch the required goods from the material shelves. Instead, the goods will come to them fully automatically on driverless transport systems (DTS). Audi is thus the world’s first automobile manufacturer to implement such a DTS based goods to person concept. The company is currently testing the new method with the commissioning of driver’s manuals at the Audi plant in Ingolstadt.

Audi remains on track: With around 147,750 deliveries (+1%) in November, the company reaffirmed its strong sales result from the prior-year month. In Europe, the Ingolstadt-based carmaker increased sales by 6 percent to around 62,300 units, despite the model changeover for its bestseller, the Audi A4. Since the start of the year, more than 1.64 million customers worldwide have chosen the brand with the four rings, up 3.4 percent.

Intelligent real-time maps, location-based services and highly-automated driving: the future of mobility lies in a digitized world – one that can be reached through the products and services of HERE. First-rate maps and a new understanding of location-based services are the foundation for HERE to continue on its successful growth course – as an open, independent and value creating company. This is to the benefit of the many hundreds of HERE customers from multiple industries.

AUDI AG, BMW Group and Daimler AG successfully concluded the acquisition of Nokia’s digital mapping and location business HERE. The three partners each hold an equal stake in HERE. All competent antitrust authorities approved the transaction.

The Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG, Matthias Müller, has joined the Supervisory Board of AUDI AG and becomes its Chairman with immediate effect. Berthold Huber will continue to be Deputy Chairman. Furthermore, the two vacant seats for members representing the shareholders will be newly occupied by Julia Kuhn Piëch and Josef Ahorner.

Audi is once again represented at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, USA, which is being held from January 6 to 8, 2016. The brand is presenting its latest technologies and models for the sixth time already – in an exhibit space that is immersed in light. This year too, the press conference on the first day of the show will be followed by the Audi Tech Talk, at which technology experts will be available to answer questions.

Audi is presenting the future of electric mobility at this year’s Design Miami in the shape of the Audi e-tron quattro concept. The Stockholm design studio “Humans since 1982” has been given the commission to present the sporty SUV. Audi has been a partner of Design Miami since 2006.

The brand with the four rings will be entering the 2016 motorsport season with the most powerful and efficient race car Audi has ever built. The new Audi R18 celebrated its world premiere on the occasion of the Audi Sport Finale at the Audi Training Center Munich on Saturday. In the DTM, Audi has opted for continuity with an unchanged driver line-up. In GT racing, the new Audi R8 LMS is facing its first full racing season. For the 2016 Audi Sport TT Cup, 125 candidates have applied for the 20 available entries.

Around three months before the start of the 66th Berlin International Film Festival, AUDI AG has extended the contract as principal partner to the festival by another year. Audi and the Berlinale have agreed to continue their successful partnership through 2017. Audi provides a shuttle service with 300 Audi models, including many plug-in hybrid SUVs. In terms of content, the brand with the four rings is actively involved with the Audi Short Film Award as well as the Audi Berlinale Lounge, which includes the Berlinale Open House talk show.

Audi emerged from the “Auto Trophy 2015” reader poll of the magazine AUTO ZEITUNG as the most successful brand, with five awards. At this year’s awards ceremony, four of the coveted trophies went to the models Audi A1, Audi A3, Audi Q7 and Audi R8. The brand with the four rings also topped the poll category of “Best Design Worldwide”.

Audi will revise, document in detail, and resubmit for US approval certain parameters of the engine-management software used in the V6 TDI 3 liter diesel engine. That is the result of the discussions held between a delegation from AUDI AG and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB). The updated software will be installed as soon as it is approved by the authorities. The three brands Audi, Porsche and Volkswagen are affected. Audi estimates that the related expense will be in the mid-double-digit millions of euros.

Audi and the city of Somerville are planning joint innovations for the city of the future on the east coast of the USA. Audi CEO Rupert Stadler and Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the context of the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona. They agreed to develop an urban strategy for Somerville, applying technologies for swarm intelligence or automated parking, and networking cars with traffic lights.

Audi is for the fourth time the “Toolmaker of the Year.” That is the result of the renowned industry competition “Excellence in Production” organized by the Toolmaking Laboratory (WZL) of RWTH Aachen University and the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology (IPT). Audi Toolmaking succeeded against more than 290 toolmaking and mold making departments from companies in the German speaking countries. Michael Breme, Head of Toolmaking at AUDI AG, was presented with the winner’s cup at the 15th “Toolmaking with a Future” international colloquium in Aachen on Wednesday evening.

Audi has started the fourth quarter with further sales growth. In October, global deliveries increased year-on-year by 2.0 percent to around 149,200 cars. Demand for the four rings proved very positive especially in the United States (+16.8 percent) and several southern European markets. Since January around 1,497,150 customers decided to buy an Audi globally, leading to a 3.6 percent growth compared to one year ago. Cumulative sales exceeded the 2014 figures in all regions around the world.

The new Audi A4 Sedan* and the new Audi R8* have won the Golden Steering Wheel 2015. The selection was made by readers of Auto Bild magazine and Bild am Sonntag newspaper together with an international panel of experts. The prize, among the most coveted honors in the automotive industry, was presented tonight at the Axel Springer headquarters in Berlin.