Francis F
09/10/2006, 22h45
Le Audi Q7... La prévision était 50 % de la production vers les USA... finalement, c'est 30 %.
Slimming Down - Audi cuts back on Q7 shipments to U.S.
PARIS -- Audi is selling a smaller share of its Q7 luxury SUVs in the United States than expected. And as a result, it's escaping exchange-rate losses associated with the weak dollar.
Instead of the 50 percent initially planned, only about 30 percent of production is heading to the United States, Ralph Weyler, Audi's sales and marketing chief, said in an interview with Automobilwoche last month at the Paris auto show.
Audi has sold 4,010 Q7s in the United States since it debuted here in June. In Europe, Audi sold 17,279 units through July, the last month for which results were available.
Demand for the vehicle is surprisingly high in Europe, Weyler said. "The fact that it is doing so well in Europe is very positive for profitability," he said.
Unlike BMW with its X5 and Mercedes with its ML, Audi isn't building its big SUV in the United States, the largest market worldwide for such vehicles. Instead, it manufactures the vehicle in Bratislava, Slovakia.
Analysts say Audi can hardly make money with the European production, in light of the weak dollar.
At a price starting at $40,620, including shipping, the vehicle is being sold for significantly less in the United States than in Europe. That's because demand for luxury SUVs is sharply down due to rising fuel costs.
The considerable demand for the Q7 in Europe is coming at an opportune time.
"We are positively surprised," Weyler said.
As a result, Audi recently increased production to 300 vehicles a day from 200.
Le SUV ne se vend plus autant qu'avant aux USA. Si on regarde les ventes de TrailBlazer et Explorer, c'est catastrophique. Même les nouveaux Yukon et Tahoe ne pètent pas des scores malgré leur récente et réussie refonte.
Slimming Down - Audi cuts back on Q7 shipments to U.S.
PARIS -- Audi is selling a smaller share of its Q7 luxury SUVs in the United States than expected. And as a result, it's escaping exchange-rate losses associated with the weak dollar.
Instead of the 50 percent initially planned, only about 30 percent of production is heading to the United States, Ralph Weyler, Audi's sales and marketing chief, said in an interview with Automobilwoche last month at the Paris auto show.
Audi has sold 4,010 Q7s in the United States since it debuted here in June. In Europe, Audi sold 17,279 units through July, the last month for which results were available.
Demand for the vehicle is surprisingly high in Europe, Weyler said. "The fact that it is doing so well in Europe is very positive for profitability," he said.
Unlike BMW with its X5 and Mercedes with its ML, Audi isn't building its big SUV in the United States, the largest market worldwide for such vehicles. Instead, it manufactures the vehicle in Bratislava, Slovakia.
Analysts say Audi can hardly make money with the European production, in light of the weak dollar.
At a price starting at $40,620, including shipping, the vehicle is being sold for significantly less in the United States than in Europe. That's because demand for luxury SUVs is sharply down due to rising fuel costs.
The considerable demand for the Q7 in Europe is coming at an opportune time.
"We are positively surprised," Weyler said.
As a result, Audi recently increased production to 300 vehicles a day from 200.
Le SUV ne se vend plus autant qu'avant aux USA. Si on regarde les ventes de TrailBlazer et Explorer, c'est catastrophique. Même les nouveaux Yukon et Tahoe ne pètent pas des scores malgré leur récente et réussie refonte.