Audi to launch record 16 models in Korea to up ailing sales
Published: 13 Jan. 2025, 17:27
Updated: 13 Jan. 2025, 19:18
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- SARAH CHEA
- [email protected]
Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI
![Steve Cloete, executive director of Audi Korea, speaks about the automaker's strategies for this year during his first press conference with Korean media at The Shilla Seoul in Jung District, central Seoul, on Jan. 13. [AUDI KOREA]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/01/13/b71d36e0-9ef2-43d4-94f0-7c5987152cfb.jpg)
Steve Cloete, executive director of Audi Korea, speaks about the automaker's strategies for this year during his first press conference with Korean media at The Shilla Seoul in Jung District, central Seoul, on Jan. 13. [AUDI KOREA]
Audi Korea will roll out 16 fresh models, including the highly anticipated Q6 e-tron EV, in the Korean market this year as it seeks to recoup lost ground after years of slipping profit.
Adding a raft of new models and expanding customer service centers are the German premium carmaker’s latest strategies for the rebound, the two most criticized areas by Korean customers.
![Audi's Q6 e-tron SUV, which will hit the Korean market in the first half of 2025 [AUDI KOREA]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/01/13/75d2de43-8542-482f-928d-edbf3ad1082d.jpg)
Audi's Q6 e-tron SUV, which will hit the Korean market in the first half of 2025 [AUDI KOREA]
“2024 was a year of development of strategies and understanding of the business for Audi, and that brings us into 2025, which we call a reset year as we are ready to step up,” said Audi Korea Executive Director Steve Cloete during his first news conference with Korean media on Monday at The Shilla Seoul in Jung District, central Seoul.
“In 2025, Audi will introduce 16 new cars, the largest number in its history, to the Korean market, with the Q6 e-tron waiting to be the first vehicle.”
Audi, which was once one of the top three imported car brands in Korea by sales, ranked 7th place last year, falling behind Tesla, Volvo Cars, Lexus and Toyota Motor, four brands it was beating until in 2023.
The luxury brand’s sales almost halved to 9,304 vehicles in Korea in 2024, down 47.9 percent compared to the previous year, according to data from the Korea Automobile Importers and Distributors Association. It’s the first time in seven years the brand’s sales have failed to surpass the 10,000 mark.
The Q6 e-tron, the EV version of Q6, is the first EV to be installed with its Premium Platform Electric, an EV-dedicated platform co-developed with Porsche that guarantees fast charging and extremely high energy density.
The SUV is able to travel 641 kilometers (398 miles) per single charge based on Europe's Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure global standards, though its certified range from Korea’s Ministry of Environment has yet to be declared.
An A6 e-tron will also hit the Korean market this year, as well as a petrol-powered A5 sedan that will also hit the local market in a fully revamped version.
“The new A5 will become an unrivaled presence in the midsize segment by perfectly combining the sporty and elegant design that lives on in the other brands,” Cloete said.
![Audi's new A5, which will hit Korean market this year [AUDI]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/01/13/379aecea-5e65-406c-92f9-73c9d7a956c9.jpg)
Audi's new A5, which will hit Korean market this year [AUDI]
Audi’s injection of a flurry of models comes amid customers’ mounting complaints of a shortage of new cars in Korea. The German brand did not bring in any face-lifts or a revamped version of the A6 sedan, its best-selling model in Korea, since 2019. It released face-lifted Q7 and Q8 SUVs in December in four full years.
While customer demand for hybrids constantly grows, Audi only has the A7 plug-in hybrid in its lineup, which costs more than 100 million won ($67,950) in Korea.
Cloete also vowed to open five more service centers this year, increasing its number from 32 to 37, in a bid to tackle increasing customer dissatisfaction with after-sale service.
Hit by falling sales, Audi, which had 41 service centers as of the end of 2021, closed down nine centers in three years, including those in densely populated areas, including those in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul, and Seocho District, southern Seoul.
It also plans to open up two more showrooms in 2025, growing its total from 33 to 35, which is still a decline from the 38 it had logged in 2023.
“In densely populated areas, such as Seoul and the metropolitan region, we will establish a network that allows customers to access our service centers within 30 minutes, ensuring faster and more satisfying service,” Cloete said.
“Customer service in sales and after-sales is paramount. We must not just satisfy our customers. We must inspire them. We must turn them into our fans.”
![Audi's newly revamped Q5 SUV, which will hit Korean market this year [AUDI]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2025/01/13/40096446-4fe5-4dba-ac19-4dd55848e22f.jpg)
Audi's newly revamped Q5 SUV, which will hit Korean market this year [AUDI]
BY SARAH CHEA [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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