audi record profit

[Dave Eaton]

dave
'03 rs6
04 allroad tdi

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INGOLSTADT, Germany -- Helped by higher sales of its top-end cars, Audi
today posted its highest ever profit before tax.

The German premium brand's profit before tax increased 49.8 percent to 2.91
billion euros in 2007. Its profit after tax rose 26 percent to 1.69 billion
euros.

Audi had record global unit sales for the 12th year. Its worldwide sales
were up 5.7 percent to 964,151.

Axel Strotbek, Audi board member for finance and organization, said higher
sales of vehicles with high profit margins such as the Q7 premium SUV and
the launch of the new TT sports car and A5 coupe helped boost the carmaker's
financial performance.

Last year, Q7 sales increased 55 percent to 81,775, while TT sales more than
doubled to 51,771 from 19,489 the year before.

Audi's revenues last year were 33.6 billion euros, up 7.9 percent from the
previous year.

Strotbek said improved sales in growth markets such as central and eastern
Europe and Asia helped to increase profits.

Audi's Russian sales grew 39.3 percent to 15,007 in 2007. China overtook the
UK as Audi's biggest foreign market. Last year, Audi sold 101,996 cars in
China in 2007 a year-on increase of 24.8 percent.

In the UK, Audi's sales rose 17.1 percent to 100,712.

Germany is still Audi's biggest market despite a drop in sales last year.
Audi sold 254,014 cars in Germany in 2007, a drop of 1.5 percent compared
with 2006.