Economic crisis, shortage of chips and international unrest have not stopped Audi Italia’s journey in 2022, capable of closing the year with 56,000 registrations and a market share of over 4% which translates into a national record for the brand with the four rings .
These results confirm Italy as the fifth Audi market in the world, the third in Europe, reaffirming Audi’s leadership among premium manufacturers for the 14th consecutive year. How was this possible? As underlined by Fabrizio Longo, director of Audi Italia «by investing like never before to consolidate our value identity, we have confirmed the correspondence with our customers who today recognize themselves not only in performance, in technology, in style and in the value of the brand, in the coherence with which we are developing our circular vision of making mobility integrating environmental and social safety”. Despite the market share record, 2022 will go down in history as one of the most complex years and many analysts are wondering about a possible downturn in the luxury sector. «The challenging contexts that we face and will face require a solid connection with the market – remembers Longo – First of all through an extended interpretation of the asset that goes beyond possession: the rental, for example, a formula that today is worth more than 40% of registrations. And, above all, the Audi equation of value, not only relating to the product, but as a synthesis of multiple values ranging from technological innovation to residual value, passing through the value of social security, demonstrated by the widespread diffusion of predictive technologies. This synthesis of values constitutes the Audi evolution of the concept of luxury: always linked to the intrinsic value of the object, but extending beyond the hedonistic aspect, so as to include the social sphere».
A further challenge will come from the ban on the sale of thermal cars in Europe from 2035, thus placing electric motors at the center of mobility in the old continent but opening up unknown factors about how the offer will evolve over the next decade. «Technological transition – says Longo – is an opportunity if accompanied by an offer capable of responding to mobility needs. Audi evolves the product with a strongly oriented approach to electric mobility, also guaranteeing the customer the ideal technical solution according to the needs related to the times required for the transition. So on the one hand by offering diesel and petrol engines, with consumption and emissions optimized by up to 20% compared to 5 years ago, on the other by electrifying the offer and developing an ecosystem to support full electric mobility. In 2026 we will have over 20 100% electric models in the range, an offer that will contribute to a gradual phase-out of internal combustion technology expected in 2033″. Future Audis are anticipated by the Sphere concept series.
Returning to the present, 2023 will be characterized by the arrival on the road of the Q8 e-tron, a zero-emission maxi SUV with a range of 600 km, while the Q6 e-tron, the first model on a native platform, will be unveiled by the end of the year electric PPE capable of “forfeiting” 300 km in just 10 minutes. «Q8 e-tron and Q6 e-tron – concluded Longo – will strengthen the Audi Q range, which has come to represent over 50% of the registered cars of the Four Rings thanks to models such as Q3, Q5 and Q8».