Having started pretty much from the gutter — may I remind you that Audi even belonged to Daimler Benz for a while — the carmaker with the four rings is currently not only a force to be reckoned with in the big league, but actually wants to be the top dog. With that in mind, Audi recently announced that it is increasing its investment program, which was already the biggest in the automaker’s history.
Between 2015 and all the way through 2019, the ring-bearer will invest no less than 24 billion euros (approx. $29.1 billion as of 12/30/2014) in its expansion, with about 70 percent of the total money amount going directly to the development of both new models and technology. Audi’s main concern is to increase its market share and to meet increasingly stricter CO2-emission limits worldwide, with a lot of the focus directed toward expanding its portfolio from 50 to 60 models in the upcoming four years.
All-new models in the C and D segments, along with an expansion of the Q family of crossover/SUVs should do well enough in terms of increasing Audi’s market share, but that wouldn’t be possible without an increase in production capabilities. This is why the carmaker will redirect over half of the total investments in Germany, especially at the manufacturing plants in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm, where the next-generation A8 is expected to be built starting in 2015.
Another subject is represented by a new generation of more fuel-efficient gasoline and diesel engines currently in the works, along with an increase in the development of plug-in hybrids and fuel-cell powertrains, two areas where the Ingolstadt manufacturer had been lagging behind Mercedes-Benz and BMW.
Click past the jump to read more about Audi’s future plans.
Audi to Invest Billions into New Models and Technology Through 2019 originally appeared on topspeed.com on Tuesday, 30 December 2014 11:00 EST.
from Top Speed http://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/audi-to-invest-billions-into-new-models-and-technology-through-2019-ar166854.html
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