Sales of Audi's luxury A6 sedans grew by nearly 50 per cent on a yearly basis during the first three quarters of the year, an FAW VW company executive said this week.

Audi A6

FAW VW, a joint venture between China's First Automotive Works Corp and German company Volkswagen, produces the cars in China.

Li Wu, FAW VW's deputy-general manager, said the company sold 38,720 A6 cars during the first nine months. That represented a 46.7 per cent rise over the same period the previous year.

FAW VW, based in Northeast China's Jilin Province, now produces two models of Audi cars, the A6 and A4. Sales of the two models totalled 42,000 during the January-September period, Li said.

"We are very confident that we will meet our goal of selling 50,000 units in 2003," he said. Sales last year stood at 36,000.

Competition in China's luxury car market between Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz is intensifying. BMW is a product of German firm BMW and Mercedes-Benz is produced by auto giant DaimlerChrysler.

BMW 325i

Mercedes-Benz

BMW unveiled the 325i, its first Chinese-made sedan, earlier this month. FAW VW launched Audi A8 on October 25 and its upgraded A6 three days later.

Li said his company plans to consolidate its position in the Chinese market by improving its sales and service network.

The company now has 70 service centres across the country and Li said they will open more.

Company officials also said its Audi car output in China will reach 70,000 to 80,000 units by 2005. BMW says it hopes to sell 100,000 vehicles a year in China within the next 10 years.

Mercedes-Benz says it will produce 25,000 sedans annually in China by 2012.

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