Pues he pensado que os iré poniendo noticias del sector (fabricantes, proveedores...) que me llegan, las que me parezcan más interesantes, máximo una cada dos días, para no agobiar, a ver si os interesa. En función de los comentarios que reciba iré poniendo más. La de hoy (en referencia a Audi): Audi boosts investment, sees 1 million annual car sales Audi will step up investments to nearly 2 billion euros ($2.34 billion) a year and launch at least six new models in the next three years in a bid to hit 1 million annual car sales "by 2008/2009", the premium arm of VW said on Wednesday. Audi had previously spoken of hitting the million-vehicle mark from 2008. Planning for the years 2005 until 2010 calls for investing 10.8 billion euros in all, it said in a statement. Audi expects to easily beat its target of selling 800,000 cars this year. It boosted sales in the first 11 months of the year 8.8 percent to nearly 767,000 units. While analysts have praised Audi's performance, they have criticized perceived gaps in its product lineup, such as the lack of an SUV. Audi expects to crack the 1 million mark by adding new models such as the Q7 SUV and the high-performance Le Mans quattro sports car, now known as the Audi R8. (Automotive News Europe, Dec 7) Respecto a la última frase, lo único con lo que no estoy de acuerdo es que con esos 2 modelos vayan a pasar de 800k a 1 millón, son de muy bajo volumen, sobretodo el R8. Pero el objetivo está claro, Audi va a intentar sacar más modelos a fin de crecer. Veremos si el mercado reacciona bien.
Bueno, hoy vuelvo a la carga, el tema es la caída de las ventas de modelos clave de Merchy: * Clase E, debido a los conocidos problemas de calidad * Clase C, por lo veterano del modelo, ha perdido fuerza respecto a los renovados A4 y serie 3. Por cierto, líder de ventas del segmento Audi A4, y en la clase superior, lucha cerrada entre el A6 y Serie 5. Mercedes core model sales plunge following quality problems The Mercedes E class once ruled the medium-premium segment in Europe. Not any more, said Automotive News Europe. Plagued by well-publicized quality problems, E class sales dropped 28.4% this year compared with 2004, dropping it to third place behind the BMW 5 series and Audi A6 after 10 months. The decline in E class sales highlights Mercedes’ loosening grip on the heart of the European luxury market. The C class lower-premium car, Mercedes’ other core vehicle, also has fallen to No. 3 in its segment behind the Audi A4 and BMW 3 series. Contrary to Mercedes’ troubles, Audi has been the biggest gainer in the lower-premium segment. The A4 has passed the BMW 3 series to take the segment lead after 10 months. The A6 is in a close race with the BMW 5 series to be the No.1 seller this year in the medium-premium segment. Critics blamed the E class’s lackluster sales mainly on electronics glitches, which led to several recalls. Mercedes sources said the E class will get a face-lift next year in which conventional hydraulic brakes will replace the car’s twice-recalled by-wire braking system. The car also will get more powerful engines. A new C class will be launched in two years. (Just-auto.com, Dec 13) Link to Article .
