on-year growth of 6.8% in 2018, in the face of competitive market conditions. Growth was driven by sales of new Audi models introduced during the year, including the all-new Audi A8, Q8, A7 and A6. Audi Abu Dhabi led the way for regional sales of the luxury all-new Audi A8 for all GCC markets in 2018. This success was followed by strong sales for the first ever Audi Q8 model, which marked the dawn of a new face for the bestselling Audi Q range, alongside new model launches for executive saloon favorites, the Audi A7 Sportback and Audi A6. Mark Austin, General Manager at Audi Abu Dhabi, said "2018 was a challenging year for the automotive market in the UAE but it is a great achievement for Audi Abu Dhabi to have delivered strong growth during this period. The new market introductions from Audi in 2018 demonstrated innovative and progressive design, engineering and quality and reinforced the brand promise of ‘Vorsprung durch Technik', showcasing advanced new technologies and the superior performance that people have come to associate with the brand." In order to ensure future sales volumes and customer needs are supported, Audi Abu Dhabi recently invested AED 100 million in a state-of-the-art new dealership in Al Mussafah, which spans over 28,500sqm as part of their growth strategy for the Capital. "The investment in this impressive new facility is a strong platform to support our ambition to drive continued growth in Audi Abu Dhabi for the years to come," added Austin. "We look forward to 2019, with the exciting promise of the Audi e-tron - the first-ever electric SUV from Audi, to come later in the year," he added. — SG
