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| Rupert Stadler - CEO of Audi |
Audi is considering its own production plant within the u. s. as a part of VW Group's conceive to double sales there within the next seven years.
Audi CEO Rupert Stadler says the automaker is finding out the business case for making a lower-cost production capability for the North yank market and can be creating a call inside succeeding four years (before 2015).
"We still see plenty of sales growth potential here. And wherever we tend to sell plenty of cars, we've got to supply domestically within the future," Stadler said in an interview with Automotive News Europe, at the International client Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week.
A production plant within the u. s. would facilitate Audi increase volumes for the market whereas at identical time keeping its prices in check and mitigating the euro/dollar currency risk. Audi sold over a hundred,000 cars within the U.S. in 2010, a record year, however plans are to double that to two hundred,000 units by 2018.
But the euro has shown weakness within the past year which implies that basing a plant call on that issue alone might not represent the cost-savings initially expected. The euro has been sturdy against the U.S. dollar over the past decade (trading at over $1.30 for a lot of of time) however that does not mean it'll keep that method for succeeding.
Aside from adding production capability, Audi might also need to expand its product portfolio within the yank market if it's to stay up with competitors like BMW, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz and grow its sales too. Audi doesn't sell the A1, the A5 Sportback or the Q3 SUV within the u. s. nevertheless.
"We need to stay it easy," said Stadler, concerning the merchandise lineup. however easy might not translate into additional sales.
