Audi of America Inc

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Nationwide, Audi sales of the A4 jumped 34.3%, demonstrating excitement around the brand, which has seen consistent movement throughout 2008: Audi has reported strong car (sedan and sports car) sales throughout the year, citing high dealer traffic amid rising levels of brand awareness and consideration. In June, Audi posted the greatest ranking improvement in initial quality in the results from J.D. Power and Associates' 2008 industry-wide study.

To date, Audi has sold 45,023 vehicles in 2008, a 1.5% decrease over the previous year; CPO sales for 2008 total 18,241, an increase of 41.7% over 2007.

ABOUT AUDI OF AMERICA

Audi of America, Inc. offers a line of luxury vehicles that include the Audi A3 sport compact; the sporty A4 sedan, Avant and Cabriolet models; the high performance S4 sedan, Avant and Cabriolet models, the high-revving RS 4 sport sedan and Cabriolet; the all new A5 Coupe with FSI direct injection technology; the S5 Coupe with 354 hp; the design-leading A6 sedan and Avant; the V-10 powered high performance S6 sedan; the Audi Q7 performance SUV; the new all-aluminum Audi A8 and A8L; the new S8 with V10 power; the all-new 2008 TT Coupe and Roadster models; and the all-new, all-aluminum R8, one of the most exclusive mid-engine sports cars in the world. Upcoming Audi vehicle launches in the USA include the updated A3 with quattro all-wheel drive (Sept. 2008), all-new A4 sedan/Avant (Sept. 2008), TTS coupe and Roadster (end 2008), Audi Q7 3.0 TDI (Q1/2009), and Audi Q5 (Q1 2009). For more information, please visit www.audiusa.com or media.audiusa.com.

    AUDI US SNAPSHOT                       -----YEAR TO DATE-----

                                            Jun-08    Jun-07
                   Jun-08  Jun-07  Yr/Yr %   YTD       YTD     Yr/Yr %
                   actual  actual  change   actual    actual   change

    A3              419      526   -20.3%    2,369     3,446   -31.3%

    A4/S4/RS 4    4,999    3,721    34.3%   23,291    21,708     7.3%

    A5/S5           237     n/a      n/a     2,360      n/a      n/a

    A6/S6           891    1,095   -18.6%    5,724     6,014    -4.8%

    A8/S8           187      292   -36.0%    1,428     1,918   -25.5%

    TT              468      495    -5.5%    2,525      1652    52.8%

    R8               44      n/a     n/a       315      n/a      n/a

    Audi Q7         958    1,660   -42.3%    7,011    10,973   -36.1%

    Total         8,203    7,789     5.3%   45,023    45,711    -1.5%

SOURCE Audi of America, Inc.

http://www.audiusa.com

Mintel provides analysis on the following:

-- Why prospects for the rental car industry are not as dire as for airlines and what drives market conditions

-- The impact on car rentals from fluctuations in adjacent industries, such as air travel and auto manufacturing

-- Sales patterns by individuals and businesses, with discussion of the airport/off-airport market

-- Brand identities of the leading companies

-- Recent new product introductions, including hourly rentals and the continuing proliferation of "green" rental options

-- Detailed analysis of advertising campaigns and promotions on TV and web

Key Topics Covered:

-- Scopes and Themes

-- Car rental market on sound footing, though gas prices worrisome

-- Market Size and Forecast

-- Segment Performance--Personal Rentals

-- Retail Channels

-- Car manufacturers' misfortunes

-- Advertising and Promotion

-- Frequency of Leisure Travel

-- Consumers--Race and Ethnicity

-- Appendix: Trade Associations

Companies Mentioned:

-- The Hertz Corporation

-- Avis Budget Group, Inc.

-- Enterprise Rent-A-Car Company

-- National Car Rental

-- Alamo Rent a Car LLC

-- Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc.,

-- Budget Rent A Car System Inc.

-- Vanguard Car Rental USA Inc.

-- Travelocity.com L.P.

-- Expedia Inc.

-- Orbitz Inc.

-- Priceline.com Incorporated

-- DDB Worldwide Communications Group Inc.

-- Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

-- Air Transport Association of America Inc., The

-- Ford Motor Company (USA)

-- Travel Industry Association of America

-- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

-- American Society of Travel Agents

-- National Business Travel Association

-- American Automobile Association (AAA)

-- The New York Times Company

-- General Motors Corporation

-- XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc.

-- Audi of America Inc

-- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

-- International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

-- The Bureau of Transportation Statistics

-- Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc

-- Chrysler LLC

-- U.S. Bureau of the Census

-- Garmin International Inc.

-- OnStar Corporation

-- Apple, Inc

-- AB Volvo

-- Nissan North America, Inc.

-- Sirius Satellite Radio Inc.

-- Mercedes-Benz USA

-- American Express Company (The)

-- MasterCard Incorporated

-- Google, Inc.

-- AMR Corporation (American Airlines)

-- Delta Air Lines, Inc.

-- Omnicom Group Inc.

-- Hilton Hotels Corporation

-- US Airways Group Inc.

-- BBDO Worldwide

-- McCann Erickson

-- Avrett Free & Ginsberg

-- American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)

-- Interactive Travel Services Association

-- Office of Travel and Tourism Industries

-- US Department of Commerce

-- Association for Car and Truck Rental Independents and Franchisees (ACTIF)

-- J.D. Power and Associates

-- National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA)

-- American Car Rental Association (ACRA)

-- International Travel Services Association (ITSA)

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/54ee79/car_rental_in_the

SOURCE: Research and Markets

Research and Markets
Laura Wood
press@researchandmarkets.com
Fax from USA: 646-607-1907
Fax from rest of the world: +353-1-481-1716

"For Audi, safety and performance have always gone hand in hand: our cars are engineered to offer the best not just in crash protection, but in preventing traffic accidents altogether," said Johan de Nysschen, executive vice president, Audi of America. "With the launch of the Audi Q7 TDI clean diesel in 2009, American SUV buyers will have even more options from which to choose for safety as well as fuel economy, convenience and performance."

To qualify for the IIHS's Top Safety Pick award, a vehicle must earn the highest rating of good in the Institute's front, side, and rear tests and be equipped with electronic stability control, which Audi has standard on every model it produces.

Audi's commitment to safety goes beyond crash test safety ratings to include a comprehensive list of active and passive safety features. Every Audi sold in the U.S. has standard four-wheel disc brakes with anti-lock braking system (ABS), an electronic stability program, daytime running lights (DRL) and a standard tire pressure monitoring system. The Q7 also features Audi's quattro permanent all-wheel standard on all models, providing high levels of active safety and traction on virtually any surface. All of these features are designed to help reduce the chances of a collision.

In 2006, the Audi Q7 pioneered blind spot protection with Audi side assist. The Audi side assist system, currently standard on the Audi Q7 3.6 Prestige and 4.2 Prestige models, monitors up to 165 feet behind the vehicle and alerts the driver when someone is in their blind spot using a directional amber LED that appears in the inner housing of the exterior mirror. Should the driver attempt to merge into the lane occupied by a vehicle in their blind spot, the LED will flash brightly when the turn signal is pushed.

At the same time, Audi is enjoying industry recognition, strong consumer interest and growing market share in the U.S. In June, Audi posted the greatest ranking improvement in initial quality in the results from J.D. Power and Associates' 2008 industry-wide study. Audi has enjoyed increased dealer traffic and strong sales of the A4 and TT models, with robust sales in key markets. This confluence of positive news positions Audi well as the company gears up for several major U.S. product launches in Fall 2008.

ABOUT AUDI OF AMERICA

Audi of America, Inc. offers a line of luxury vehicles that include the Audi A3 sport compact; the sporty A4 sedan, Avant and Cabriolet models; the high performance S4 sedan, Avant and Cabriolet models, the high-revving RS 4 sport sedan and Cabriolet; the all new A5 Coupe with FSI direct injection technology; the S5 Coupe with 354 hp; the design-leading A6 sedan and Avant; the V-10 powered high performance S6 sedan; the Audi Q7 performance SUV; the new all-aluminum Audi A8 and A8L; the new S8 with V10 power; the all-new 2008 TT Coupe and Roadster models; and the all-new, all-aluminum R8, one of the most exclusive mid-engine sports cars in the world. Upcoming Audi vehicle launches in the USA include the updated A3 with quattro all-wheel drive (Sept. 2008), all-new A4 sedan/Avant (Sept. 2008), TTS coupe and Roadster (end 2008), Audi Q7 3.0 TDI (Q1 2009), and Audi Q5 (Q1 2009). For more information, please visit http://www.audiusa.com or http://www.audiusanews.com .

SOURCE Audi of America, Inc.

http://www.audiusa.com