Audi: We will be UK premium leader 07 | 10 | 2015

    AUDI, THE FOURTH-BIGGEST seller in Scotland this year, has stated it's confident it will end 2015 as the leading premium brand in the UK. The pledge comes despite the fallout from Dieselgate, and the ongoing impact of the emissions scandal on the parent Volkswagen Group.

    The Ingolstadt-based car manufacturer — only outperformed by volume specialists Vauxhall, Ford and, interestingly, VW in Scotland over the opening nine months of 2015 — admitted it expects minimal impact from the emissions scandal.

    According to an Audi spokesman at the launch of the new-generation A4, remaining stocks of Euro 5 cars currently on hold from dealer forecourts total stand at less than 300.

    “The timing has coincided with key model line switchovers to Euro 6," the spokesman said, "and we have lots of orders in the pipeline that means we’re confident of hitting our target, despite the emissions issue.”

    Related: New Audi A4 starts at £25,900

    Based on the most recent figures, calculated on September 25, Audi UK sales stood at 126,060 for the opening nine months of 2015, more than 10,000 ahead of BMW and 20,000 ahead of Mercedes-Benz.

    While none of the current Audi models enter the top 10 sales in Scotland, the Audi A3 is the eighth best selling car in the UK.

    Though the German marque accounts for a 6.5% market share in the UK, it takes 5.88% of the Scottish market. Across the UK, it outperforms prestige rivals such as BMW (6.0% UK market share), Mercedes-Benz (5.5%). Intersetingly, Jaguar is on 0.9%, Lexus on just 0.5%.

    And while its rivals appear to have to push hard for sales, Audi argues its sales are more 'natural'.

    “We don’t have to push so much,” the spokesman, suggesting the brand is spending less on finance deals and supporting sales promotions, continued.

    While order books are open for the new Audi A4 — Audi’s best-selling model in the world, and the second best-selling in the UK — in Scotland, first deliveries aren't expected till November 21.

    The saloon — which we're roadtesting today, the report of which will appear on Scotcars in the next few days — will be followed by the new A4 Avant early in 2016.

    Related: Roadtest — Audi Q7 3.0TDI quattro

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    Jim McGill

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