Audi’s new global sales boss says the firm will “attack again” in 2020 as it seeks to catch up with traditional German rivals, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
Hildegard Wortmann, a former BMW employee who stepped into the role of member of the board of management at Audi responsible for sales and marketing at the start of July 2019, made the comments during an interview with Automotive News Europe.
She said the Ingolstadt-based firm’s fresh product range and a planned restructuring programme would stand it in good stead in 2020.
“We want to attack again,” Wortmann told the publication, after Audi again found itself behind BMW and Mercedes-Benz in terms of 2019 sales.
“Deep changes are needed, but I see great willingness across the organisation to turn things around, and that makes me optimistic.”
In 2019, Audi reported global sales of 1 845 550 vehicles, representing a year-on-year increase of 1,8 percent.
“After a mixed first half of the year, we successfully caught up in the second half,” Wortmann said in a separate (official) statement.
“In 2019, we clearly showed the potential of our brand and our young model portfolio. Although the demands placed upon us will remain high in 2020, we have set the course for further growth.”
