Audi sales dropped by 0.7% last year as the firm was hindered by semiconductor supply issues, but sales were bolstered by the success of its EVs.
The German manufacturer achieved record-breaking deliveries in the first half of 2021 before suffering a significant 34.2% drop-off, selling a total of 1,680,512 cars by the end of the year.
Audi confirmed that the chip crisis hampered local production in China, while the impacts caused by the reduction in VAT in Europe was “noticeable”.
It also claimed to have its “highest order backlog ever", with a “high volume of incoming orders”.
It didn't say which models had the biggest backlog worldwide but told Autocar that the Q4 E-Tron and A3 were “by far and away the most in demand” models in the UK.
“The year 2021 was challenging, but with our worldwide team’s engaged effort, we very successfully overcame them,” said Hildegard Wortmann, Audi’s board member for sales. “We’re looking to the future with confidence.
“High demand for electric vehicles from Audi confirms our early decision in favor of zero-emissions drive systems. We're taking this momentum with us into 2022 and systematically pressing ahead with our transformation. The large number of incoming orders also shows that we have the right portfolio."
Despite the drop in worldwide sales, Audi’s EV range showed continued success. Around 4.8% of its total sales were electric, as it sold 81,894 EVs last year.
That figure represents 57.5% growth, with the Q4 E-tron and Q4 E-tron Sportback leading the way in terms of EV sales.
The Audi Q3 achieved the biggest sales growth for a non-electric Audi, at 19.2%. The Audi A7 gained 9.2%, while the A5 grew 8.3%. The Audi Q5 and Q7 also showed that SUV options remain popular, both growing 5.3%.
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I wonder how well the A1 is doing for them? I'm sure its not as popular in the UK as the previous model, which offered the choice of a 3-door version, and came with a high quality interior as standard.