Volkswagen's Audi could target long-term annual sales of at least 2-million cars, up a fifth from 2024, under a new strategy the premium brand is expected to release later this year, according to a person close to the matter.
The potential target, previously unreported, would be an annual record for the German luxury carmaker and points towards a more aggressive approach after tough years have seen its sales slip.
Audi has been a headache for parent Volkswagen, suffering from model launch delays and technological setbacks that have widened a gap with rivals, challenges compounded by US car tariffs that forced the company to cut its outlook.
Under CEO Gernot Doellner, who took the helm in 2023, Audi is revamping its strategy and could include the long-term sales target when it briefs the public about its new plans later in the year.
The person did not tie the 2-million vehicle target to a specific year.
For 2025, Audi is targeting vehicle sales of 1.7-million to 1.8-million after a 11.8% decline to 1.67-million last year.
The upbeat long-term outlook partly rests on greater expectations for the US — the world's second-largest auto market after China — where Audi could nearly double sales from the roughly 200,000 cars sold annually in the US now, the person said.
Audi declined to comment.
Audi is trailing rivals in the US auto market, which unlike Europe is growing, and is betting the brand could catch up even though painful import tariffs of 27.5% have cost it €600m (R12.38bn) in the first half alone.
Like Porsche AG, Audi has no US production site but the division has for a while considered setting one up, with a decision expected this year.
Doellner previously said any plant in the US could also serve as an export hub, similar to big local production sites operated by rivals Mercedes-Benz and BMW.
An Audi-specific factory and producing within Volkswagen's existing footprint are part of the strategic considerations.
Last week, Brussels started the legislative process to lower tariffs on US goods, a precondition for Washington to retroactively cut EU auto import tariffs to 15% from August 1, something it has not done yet.
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