In an interview with journalists, the head of the communications and technology department of Oscar Da Silva Martins did not hide that in the past the company a little underestimated the requirements of customers and the press for premium brand. The specialist also said that “in the past, Audi was undoubtedly better in terms of quality,” but promised to return to the previous standards again.
Also on the sidelines on the presentation of the new Audi Q5, representatives of the brand expressed the opinion that budget finishing materials will soon be a thing of the past. American journalists criticized modern novelties for hard plastic on door maps and a glove compartment: the solution corresponding to the premium only in those areas with which the driver or passengers directly contact.
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However, the Motor1.com observer believes that the salons were also degraded for competitors. For example, Mercedes-Benz began to save on decoration. BMW reached the bottom in the 2010s: the most budget was the interior of 3-Series in the body of F30. Since then, the Bavarians have taken a significant step forward. Auto-manufacturers informally say that tightening the standards of emissions, safety and cybersecurity increases cost and forces to save on something.
In 2024, Audi sales fell by almost 12% compared to 2023, and in key markets the problems everywhere. In China, a year closed at the minus by 11%, in the USA – by 14%, in Germany – by 21%. Representatives of the brand associate the decline with “economic uncertainty, increased competition, structural problems, complex geopolitical conditions.”
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