2020 (Full Year) Global: Audi Sales Worldwide

In 2020, global Audi sales were 8% lower at 1,692,773 cars worldwide. Sales in China increased. Audi forecasts sales growth in 2021.

In 2020, global Audi sales were 8% lower at 1,692,773 cars worldwide. Sales in China increased. Audi forecasts sales growth in 2021.
© Audi AG

In full-year 2020, global Audi sales were down 8.3% to 1,692,773 cars delivered worldwide. Despite weaker sales, Audi gained market share in most major markets. In China, by far the most important single-country market for Audi, sales increased by 5.4% to a record 727,358. The fourth quarter of 2020 was Audi’s best quarter ever with over half a million sales worldwide. Audi forecasts global sales growth in 2021.

Global Audi Car Sales Worldwide in 2020

AUDI AG ended 2020 with the most successful quarter-year in the company’s history for cars delivered: between October and December the company supplied 505,583 cars to its customers – more than half a million in a quarter for the first time ever. In a challenging year, marked globally by restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic, Audi delivered a total of 1,692,773 models, a fall of 8.3 percent compared 2019. In China, however, the company nevertheless attained new best figures with a total of 727,358 vehicles supplied (+5.4 percent).

According to Hildegard Wortmann, Board Member for Sales and Marketing at AUDI AG, “The global situation continues to be challenging at present. Nevertheless, for 2021 we have set ourselves ambitious targets, aim to achieve continued growth, and view the future with optimism.”

Global Audi Car Sales by Market in 2020

Audi reported sales as following for the major region and markets in full-year 2020:

20202019Change
World1,692,7731,845,573-8.3%
Europe619,723769,585-19.5%
Germany214,427271,613-21.1%
United Kingdom107,892139,026-22.4%
France45,72858,241-21.5%
– Italy50,06064,056-21.8%
– Spain37,28450,904-26.8%
USA186,620224,111-16.7%
Mexico9,83412,458-21.1%
Brazil6,6808,269-19.2%
Chinese Mainland + Hong Kong727,358690,083+5.4%

In China Audi supplied more cars to customers last year than ever before. A total of 727,358 automobiles represents a rise of 5.4 percent. The fourth quarter, too, was more successful than any previous period, with 214,467 cars supplied (+7.7%). In the largest market for the Four Rings, rapid economic recovery and high demand for individual mobility led to new record figures. The development was especially positive for the Audi Q2 (+33.8%), the Audi A6 (+41.1%), the Audi A7 (+142.1%), and the Audi A8 (+13.8%).

In the USA 186,620 deliveries of new cars represented a fall of -16.7 percent year on year. Strong consumer demand and the upward trend towards the close of the year demonstrate that the outlook for 2021 is favorable, however. Rising demand can be seen in the SUV segment above all: the share of SUVs in 2020 was 66 percent, and in the fourth quarter it rose to as much as 74 percent. Significant impulses came in the year as a whole from the Audi Q3 (+83.9%) and the Audi e-tron (+10%).

In Europe, car deliveries declined in 2020 by 19.5 percent to 619,723 units. Nevertheless, the trend was positive for the Audi e-tron (+80.6%, including the Audi e-tron Sportback) and the Audi Q7 (+6.3%). In the fourth quarter an upwards trend was already evident again, despite increasing restrictions resulting from the coronavirus pandemic: the delivery of 178,891 cars between October and December was a rise of 2.5 percent compared to the previous year.

In Germany the company supplied 214,427 cars to customers (-21.1%). In Audi’s home market, demand rose clearly again in the fourth quarter: 61,231 vehicles delivered represented a rise of 9.2 percent.

Audi Electric Car Sales Highlights in 2020

AUDI AG is continuing its transformation into a provider of sustainable premium mobility and claims to be by some distance the biggest maker of electric vehicles among the three German premium brands. The Audi e-tron model (including the Audi e-tron Sportback) registered a significant increase in demand last year, with growth of 79.5 percent (47,324 cars) compared with the previous year. The Audi e-tron is the global top seller among electric vehicles made by German premium manufacturers. In Norway it is even the best-selling of all models. In Germany the Audi e-tron (including the Audi e-tron Sportback) was able to more than double its sales volume in the final quarter in comparison with the previous year.

In respect of other models in the range, Audi increased deliveries especially for the Audi Q3 (+18.1% in comparison to the previous year) and the Audi A6 (+11.8%). The high-performance models from Audi Sport were also extremely popular with customers: More than 29,300 cars delivered in 2020 marks a new best, and a clear increase of 16.1 percent compared with the previous year.

Global Worldwide Car Sales by Brand in 2020 (Full Year)

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Global worldwide car sales by brand in 2020 (Full Year):

“Sales” as reported by brands generally refer to deliveries and not necessarily sales to the customer and final registration. Terms and definitions may vary.

About the author:

Henk Bekker

Henk Bekker is a freelance writer with over 20 years of experience in online writing. His best-selling cars website has been reporting car sales statistics since 2008 with classic car auction prices focusing on the most expensive automobiles sold at public auctions in the past decade. He also owns the travel websites European-Traveler.com and Lake Geneva Switzerland. Henk holds an MBA from Edinburgh Business School and an MSc in Finance from the University of London.