Audi
is launching an extensive investment programme for the next five years: Between
2014 and 2018, a total of around €22 billion (approximately Rs 1,88,667 crore)
will flow into new models, innovations and the continuous expansion of the
worldwide production network. Seventy percent of the investments is intended
for new models and technologies. The German sites will also benefit from the
largest technical development and investment program in company history – more
than half of the planned investment will go to the Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm
sites. Moreover, Audi also plans to create more jobs globally in 2014.
Rupert
Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management at Audi AG, views the current
investment program as an important component of the company’s growth strategy:
“We had set the goal of 1.5 million deliveries per year by 2015, but we already
achieved that quite comfortably in 2013. We are now decisively steering towards
our next milestone of two million deliveries. This is why we are keeping our
foot on the gas regarding investments and why we are hiring new employees in
2014.”
In
all, the Ingolstadt-based company will invest around €22 billion in new models,
innovative technologies and its worldwide production infrastructure in the next
five years. Investment in fixed assets will amount to €16 billion. In addition
to the fixed assets, the new investment program includes €6 billion in
capitalized development costs.
“With
this investment program we are launching our next stage of growth,” said Axel
Strotbek, Member of the Board of Management of AUDI AG for Finance and
Organization. “In the future, we will be investing increasingly in new
products: 70 percent is intended for the modernization and expansion of the
model range and for our portfolio of technologies.”
To
achieve its goal of two million deliveries per year, the manufacturer of
premium cars wants to expand its product range from the current 49 models to 60
different models by 2020. In addition to developing new models and alternative
drive concepts, the current investment program also provides for the next
generation of fuel-efficient engines, which will enable Audi to meet stricter
emissions legislation worldwide.
In addition to the innovative Audi A3 Sportback e-tron and
A3 Sportback g-tron, the brand with the four rings plans to launch the third
generation of its design icon, the Audi TT Coupé, on the market in 2014. Just a
few weeks ago, Audi also announced that it will be producing the new Audi Q1 in
Ingolstadt starting in 2016. At the same time, Audi is expanding its production
facilities around the world.
Picture: Body
shop, Audi A3 Sportback