Audi Annual Press Conference: Following record deliveries in 2013 further growth for 2014 (FOTO)

Ingolstadt (ots) -

- Cross reference: Picture is available
http://www.presseportal.de/galerie.htx?type=obs -

* Audi Group in 2013 at a glance: A total of approx. 1.575 million
Audi brand cars delivered, EUR 49.9 billion revenue, EUR 5.030
billion operating profit, and 10.1 percent operating return on
sales.

* CEO Rupert Stadler: "2013 was an extraordinary year and we
remain on course for success in 2014."

* Audi plans to recruit more people this year: In Germany alone,
the Company will take on 1,500 new employees and 750
apprentices.

The Audi Group continues to pursue its strategic goals
systematically. The Company delivered a strong set of figures for
fiscal 2013: With around 1.575 million cars of the Audi brand
delivered, the Ingolstadt carmaker achieved new record sales and
reached the target that it had set itself for 2015 - more than 1.5
million deliveries - two years earlier than planned. Meanwhile the
Audi Group increased its revenue to EUR 49.9 billion and again
achieved an operating profit of more than EUR 5 billion. The
operating return on sales for 2013 as a whole came to 10.1 percent,
which is slightly above the strategic target corridor of eight to ten
percent. The Company intends to maintain its growth in future, and
between now and 2018 will be investing around EUR 22 billion in
innovations and new technologies as well as in expanding its
worldwide manufacturing structures. In Germany alone, this year the
brand with the four rings will be taking on 1,500 new employees and
offering apprenticeships to 750 young people.

Audi today presents all its key figures for the 2013 fiscal year
at the Annual Press Conference, taking place at its headquarters in
Ingolstadt. The Board of Management of AUDI AG also gives its outlook
for 2014. In front of more than 300 international journalists, Audi
boss Rupert Stadler will declare: "2013 was an extraordinary year and
we also remain on course for success in 2014. The past twelve months
have seen us embark on a huge globalization drive in opening new
plants in Hungary and China, as well as preparing for local
production operations in Mexico and Brazil. The new A3 family* is
proving very popular with our customers, as are our SUV models in the
Q car line." The Company successfully maintained its product
initiative. Having launched 15 new models and derivative versions in
2013, the brand with the four rings will be launching 17 new cars in
2014 alone.

Last year, Audi achieved a strong set of figures despite the
overall decline in car sales in Europe: For example, the Company
delivered 1,575,480 (2012: 1,455,123) cars of the Audi brand to
customers worldwide - a year-on-year increase of 8.3 percent. 2013
saw the Audi Group increase its revenue to EUR 49.880 (2012: 48.771)
billion. This represented a further increase of 2.3 percent on the
previous year?s high level, despite negative exchange effects.

In view of increasing research and development costs for new
products and technologies, intensive advance payments for
systematically expanding the international production network and
also the challenging market environment, above all in Europe, the
operating profit was below the previous year?s high level, at EUR
5.030 (2012: 5.365) billion. The operating return on sales of 10.1
(2012: 11.0) percent was just above the strategic target corridor of
eight to ten percent.

Distribution costs for the Audi Group merely edged up to EUR
4.641 (2012: 4.594) billion in fiscal 2013. The financial result for
the past fiscal year of EUR 293 (2012: 586) million was down on the
previous year?s level. The Audi Group thus achieved a profit before
tax of EUR 5.323 (2012: 5.951) billion for fiscal year 2013.

The past fiscal year saw the Company invest ten percent more than
in the year before that - in all, more than EUR 3.5 billion. Until
2018 the Audi Group is planning total capital investments amounting
to some EUR 22 billion. The focus is on new innovations and
technologies. The Company?s goal remains to finance all investment
spending from operating cash flow, which in 2013 reached EUR 3.2
billion disregarding changes in participations, despite the record
capital investments - that is a substantial increase on the
prior-year EUR 2.9 billion.

The year-end position saw the Audi Group having increased its net
liquidity to EUR 14.716 (2012: 13.396) billion. The Company's equity
ratio at the balance sheet date was 41.1 (2012: 37.4) percent.

The Audi Group aims to grow in every region of the world in 2014,
including Europe. Depending on the wider economic environment, the
brand with the four rings expects a slight increase in revenue to
more than - 50 billion in fiscal 2014.

The systematic expansion of its international manufacturing
structures and the rising advance payments needed for new models and
technologies - in particular to comply with tougher CO2 regulations
worldwide - will initially have a negative impact on profit in the
current fiscal year. At the same time, the positive trend in
deliveries and revenue as well as ongoing productivity and process
improvements already implemented will impact our operating profit
positively. Overall, the Ingolstadt carmaker expects the operating
return on sales to lie within its strategic target corridor of eight
to ten percent.

- End -

Fuel consumption of the models named above:

Audi A3: Combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 7 - 3,2; Combined
CO2-emissions in g/km: 162 - 85

Audi TT: This car is not yet on sale. It has not yet been
homologated and is therefore not subject to the 1999/94/EG guideline.
Provisional data: Combined fuel consumption in l/100 km: 7,1 - 4,2;
Combined CO2-emissions in g/km: 164 - 110

The Audi Group delivered around 1,575,500 cars of the Audi brand
to customers in 2013. In 2013 the Company achieved revenue of EUR
49.9 billion and an operating profit of EUR 5.03 billion. The Audi
Group is globally present in more than 100 markets and produces
vehicles in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm (Germany), Györ (Hungary),
Brussels (Belgium), Bratislava (Slovakia), Martorell (Spain), Kaluga
(Russia), Aurangabad (India), Changchun (China) and Jakarta
(Indonesia). The brand with four rings produces cars also in Foshan
(China) since December 2013, in 2015 in São José dos Pinhais (Brazil)
and 2016 in San José Chiapa (Mexico). AUDI AG?s wholly owned
subsidiaries include quattro GmbH (Neckarsulm), Automobili
Lamborghini S.p.A. (Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy) and the sports
motorcycle manufacturer Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. (Bologna, Italy).
The Group currently employs more than 73,500 people worldwide,
including more than 52,500 in Germany. Total investment of around ?22
billion is planned from 2014 to 2018 - mainly in new products and
sustainable technologies. Audi lives up to its corporate
responsibility and has strategically established the principle of
sustainability for its products and processes. The long-term goal is
CO2-neutral mobility.

Contact:
Corporate Communications
Julio Schuback
Spokesman Finance and Organization
Tel: +49 841 89-38455
E-mail: julio.schuback@audi.de
www.audi-mediaservices.com
www.audi-newsroom.de