“Our target for this year is the same as that of the market, rather volatile, but we target up to 1,500 units, although this target is very optimistic amid current market conditions,” according to Audi Brand Manager for Romania, Mihai Halmagianu. “In the second half of the year, after lending conditions are relaxed and political and economic equilibrium is obtained, we are expecting the drop to temper,” he added. Last year, Audi sales rose 10.9 percent, up to 2,856 cars. Furthermore, according to Halmagianu, forecasts made by auto industry companies regarding the sale of 150,000 new cars this year, are optimistic.
Last year, 324,000 new vehicles were sold in Romania, which means that the overall market is set to plunge more than 50 percent this year. Halmagianu made these statements during the introduction to Romania of the Audi A4 Allroad Quattro and Audi A5 Cabriolet. The Audi brand is imported locally by Porsche Romania car dealer. The company is to bring a redesigned version of the Audi Q7 model to Romania this summer. A new model, the A5 Sportback, is to be introduced in Romania later this fall. Audi is targeting 1-1.2 percent of the overall car market in 2009, similar year-on-year. On the premium segment, the brand targets a 37 percent market share, slightly higher year-on-year.
