The crisis brings Audi concedes

The car is in crisis, the Volkswagen subsidiary this year to leave clear traces. At least a paragraph of more than one million cars from Ingolstadt reckon the face of global economic crisis with a significant decline. “We plan with a decline in sales by ten percent,” said Sales Director Peter Schwarzenbauer on Tuesday in Ingolstadt.

Chief Financial Officer Axel Strotbek added that this will also affect the earnings. After 13 years, expects a record of the Audi Group’s 2009 first time a decline in profits. Audi will “clearly” a decline in earnings must be reported. This is true even for the first quarter of 2009. The annual result will be but “significantly positive” to stay.

Last year the Group increased its operating result by 2.5 percent to 2.8 billion euros. Revenue rose 1.7 percent to 34.2 billion euros. For the record year 2008 Audi rewarded its employees with an average of 5300 euro bonus. When rival Daimler on the other hand, the bonus shrank to 1900 of 3750 euros. BMW and VW are currently no relevant figures.

Audi maintains plans

The profit slump wants the carmaker with new models, investment in new technologies, cost reductions and productivity increases against control. “We therefore look forward with confidence,” said CEO Rupert Stadler. For investment in new products such as Audi wants 2 billion so far to loose. The model range will be as planned by 2015 from currently 28 to 40 expanded. 2010, the A1 small car on the market, of which Audi is the face of the world’s growing demand for small, economical – but also cheap – a lot of promises vehicles. 2011, the Ingolstadt Q3 small SUV out.

Like other corporations do, and Audi on short working to quickly adapt production and stocks is minimized, said Stadler. In addition, all non-product-related investments and expenditures to the test. Operating layoffs in Germany until the end of 2011 is excluded. 2009 Volkswagen celebrates her daughter 100-year anniversary.