Audi has blamed Chancellor Gordon Brown's Budget as one reason not to sell the A2 1.2-litre turbodiesel in the UK. The company is demanding financial incentives to encourage British drivers to use more fuel-efficient cars with lower emissions.
The new Audi A4, which went on sale on March 1, has been awarded the coveted four star rating in the latest phase of the Euro NCAP crash tests.
Parkers.co.uk, the leading consumer automotive site, has announced its latest ABC Electronic audit figures for January 2001 which show the website has 289,000 unique users and page impressions topped 4.65 million.
##Audi logo--left## The Audi Group has announced increased revenues and vehicle sales for its worldwide operations.
Audi is claiming pricing of the new A4, on sale in the UK from March 1, 2001, will make the car among the most price competitive in the premium sector.
Renault launches Laguna II with a level of equipment likely to stun the opposition, including Ford with the newly-launched Mondeo and even up-market rivals like Audi and its A4.
##AM Awards 2000--left## Dealerships thrive on fresh thinking and gold award winner Alan Day New Southgate, opened in 1998, came up with a determined strategy after Audi was separated from this VW outlet.
Audi is the latest manufacturer to put Glass's Part Exchange Values on its www.audi.co.uk website as it bids to give potential customers a complete virtual showroom experience.
Audi is setting up a specialist bodyshop network to carry out major accident repair work on the new aluminium A2.
Compact executive sector model launches will allow prestige brands to challenge volume carmakers, said Audi UK director Kevin Rose at the UK launch of the latest A4.
Steppenwolf is ready to follow in the footsteps of the Audi TT and A2 by becoming the latest Audi concept vehicle to make its way into full production. Bracketed as a “study for on-road and demanding off-road” use, Steppenwolf shows how Audi development engineers visualise a high-performance all-rounder for the compact class.
Audi is facing up to a “tough and demanding year” in the UK in 2001, said UK boss David Ingram. He blamed frustrating delays in sourcing new models which threatened to hinder their aspirations of climbing to an overall volume of 42,000 from the projected 40,000 units this year.
Audi this week announced its new A4, attempting to catch attention in the gap between the Paris and Birmingham motor shows.
Edinburgh-based Glenvarigill has paid £4m, the largest investment in its history, to acquire two Audi dealerships from the ailing Abercromby company.
Mercedes-Benz's well-publicised price cuts, though not quite what they may seem, were followed by reductions by Audi, BMW and Jaguar. The average Mercedes cut is claimed to be 9%, with as much as 25% off the S600L, down to £77,000. Automatic transmission becomes a £1,450 option where it was standard on cars like the C240 and E240.
Audi's aluminium-bodied A2 goes on sale this month priced from £13,950 for the entry level 1.4 which has alloys, four electric windows, electric mirrors, ABS, four airbags and power steering - but no spare wheel. The SE pack takes the price to £15,100, adding climate control, wider alloys, fog lights and leather steering wheel.
BCA has linked with Vauxhall to stage its first Live On Line auction outside the US. The sale, staged last month at the Blackbushe centre in Camberley, Surrey, combined live video and audio technology enabling dealers to compete over the internet with buyers in the auction hall.
Volkswagen Group UK has resumed advertising for sponsored retailers as it bids to "improve and ring fence quality operators" for its dealer network. Dale Wyatt, VW's UK development ventures manager, said further opportunities had arisen within the Volkswagen Group - also including the Audi, Skoda and Seat marques - as a result of dealer group mergers and the closure of some loss-making businesses.
Rover will be a “lean, mean and agile” carmaker under new chairman John Towers, operating “in a different way to the one which has existed over the past four years”. Mr Towers, revealing his strategy, believes the keys to success will be to cut costs, centralise production and administration, develop the MG brand to a wider audience alongside Rover and create a flexible, medium-sized business where decisions can be made rapidly.
The A3 1.8T Sport has no excuse not to be good: It costs more than £20,000 and it's an Audi. Gervais Seymour reports
