Audi and Chinese partner First Automotive Works start model initiative

Audi and First Automotive Works (FAW) are celebrating the 30^th anniversary of their partnership. The approximately 650 guests at the anniversary event at the FAW plant in Changchun include representatives of the province of Jilin, of partner FAW, and of the FAW-Volkswagen joint venture, as well as members of the boards of management of Volkswagen AG and AUDI AG. Audi is further expanding its local research and development competencies in order to launch more China-specific model variants and digital services. The first electric car tailored for Chinese customers, the Audi Q2 L e-tron, will already be launched in 2019. Local production of the Audi e-tron will follow in 2020, one year after its market launch in China.

China has developed into Audi's strongest growth engine and biggest single market. In the past 30 years, Audi has delivered more than five million automobiles there. Audi was also the first automobile brand to launch services developed for China such as 3D maps and Chinese character recognition, in order to respond precisely to the wishes of Chinese customers. China will continue to contribute significantly to Audi’s growth.

Herbert Diess, CEO of Volkswagen Group and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of AUDI AG, says, "30 years of Audi in China tell a success story of innovation, transformation and friendship. I am looking forward to the next 30 years."

Alexander Seitz, Audi Board of Management Member for Finance, China, Compliance and Integrity, emphasised, "We will use our experience to locally develop and produce even more models specifically for China in the future. We will continue our shared success story with the latest technologies, digital services that focus on market needs, and models like the Audi Q8 and Audi e-tron." By 2022, Audi aims to increase its local portfolio with FAW-VW to more than 10 models. The first all electric models from Audi will also be sold in China.