Audi Adds New Models to Progressive Performance Portfolio

ZETLAND, AUSTRALIA – February 26, 2010: With it’s February 2010 introduction of the new A4 2.0 TDI e model, as well as two new models with Start-Stop, energy recuperation and a new Driver Efficiency Program, Audi Australia has once again shown it’s commitment to employing Progressive Performance for sustainable motoring in Australia.

With a clear focus on fully-electric powertrains for future sustainable motoring, Audi Australia’s mid-term strategy focuses on progressiveness – namely it’s extremely efficient combustion engines, as well as the introduction of consumption-reducing technology from it’s modular efficiency platform.

With Audi TDI as a particular highlight, the company was the first premium manufacturer to offer a TDI engine in every major model line in Australia, as well as the first to market with 22 vehicles with an average fuel consumption of 7 litres/100km or less.

As an added benefit to fuel-savings, Audi customers can also look forward to a financial windfall thanks to full, or partial exemption from the Luxury Car Tax for these 22 models on sale in Australia.

Audi Australia’s general manager, Marketing, Immo Buschmann, says the company has a clear focus on offering Australian buyers low consumption, high performance technology for ‘motoring without regret’. In many cases, this means Audi TDI technology.

“Our modern turbo-diesel technology is highly efficient, smooth and quiet, and we have 20 years of innovation behind us in this area,” Mr Buschmann said.

“We believe that customers want to drive efficient vehicles which also offer good performance, and successfully achieving this marriage of opposites has been a focus for Audi for many years.

“Our sales figures highlight the popularity of our TDI engines. Our share of TDI has increased from 3% in 2004 to 33% at the end of 2009 - this is incredible growth. Compared with our sales growth, which has more than tripled in the same period (since 2004), our TDI share has increased ten-fold.

“We are also introducing new technology into our petrol vehicles for Australian buyers which focus on energy recuperation, start-stop and efficient driving tips. These technologies from our modular efficiency toolbox offer even more ways to save energy and reduce emissions because the engine only accounts for 50% of vehicle consumption. At Audi, we’re also very interested in the other 50%,” Mr Buschmann said.

Both of Audi’s new 155kW A4 and A5 2.0 TFSI quattro models now feature three of these modular efficiency technologies including start-stop, energy recuperation and Drive Efficiency Program for economical driving.

In addition to the savings achieved by it’s TDI, FSI and TFSI engine technology, Audi has progressively reduced the consumption of its vehicles for over 30 years through innovations like aluminium space frame technology, efficient multitronic and S tronic transmissions, class-leading drag coefficients, energy recuperation measures and alternative fuel concepts to name a few.

These measures all form part of the modular efficiency platform that the brand uses across its range. More and more of these technologies are filtering through the entire range to improve consumption and reduce emissions.

With this approach, Audi seeks to improve efficiency by at least 10 percent for every new model generation, without sacrificing performance and by the year 2012, the company will have reduced its overall consumption by 20 percent.