In 2021, the "lack of core" became the biggest black swan event in the automotive industry. A number of joint ventures were affected by it, and their performance growth was hindered. Not only that, the new forces of car manufacturing and independent brands continue to break through upwards, giving them unprecedented pressure. In the face of the "new four modernizations" era that has arrived, is there still a chance for joint venture brands?
Audi gave the answer. According to official DATA FROM FAW-VOLKSWAGEN, the cumulative sales of Audi brands (including Audi imported cars) exceeded 700,000 units in 2021. With the help of FAW-Volkswagen Audi, the proportion of Sales in the Chinese market in Audi's global market has continued to increase, accounting for nearly 42% in 2021. It can be seen that behind a string of data against the trend of growth, FAW-Volkswagen Audi product renewal, new energy breakthrough, marketing innovation, digital transformation and other multi-dimensional profound changes, and for the transformation of the luxury car market to create an excellent sample.
The product matrix has been completely renewed
In 2021, Audi celebrates its 112th birthday. As the first luxury car brand to enter China, this year, driven by FAW-Volkswagen Audi, Audi's Chinese users reached 7 million, becoming the first and only luxury car brand to achieve this milestone. 7 million, if the 5-meter-long Audi car is connected end to end, it can circle the earth's equator 0.87 times; 7 million, if the past 33 years are divided into a whole, then the average will sell an Audi every 3 minutes or so. FAW-Volkswagen Audi, which has been leading the way, once again announced with its achievements: No one in the Chinese luxury car market knows More About Chinese users than FAW-Volkswagen Audi.
Under the influence of various unfavorable factors, the overall shock of the automobile market in 2021 is downward, but FAW-Volkswagen still maintains a leading trend with its strong product strength. Its traditional main models Audi A4L, A6L, Q5L, Q3, etc. continue to exert efforts, and the total sales volume accounts for half of FAW Audi's total sales. Among them, the cumulative sales of Audi A6 and A4 were about 156,300 units and 121,800 units, respectively, and the cumulative sales of Audi Q5 were about 139,900 units, demonstrating the strong competitive advantage of audi brand "user-centric" product layout.
Audi China unveiled its "Audi Golden Decade" plan at the beginning of last year. It is expected that in the next three years, Audi's annual sales in China will exceed 1 million vehicles. To achieve this goal, FAW-Volkswagen Audi has embarked on a brand strategy renewal that is in sync with Audi globally. From the listing of the new Audi A3 family at the beginning of the year, the listing of the RS King Dynamite Group, to the listing of the new Audi Q5L in the middle of the year, the listing of the Audi e-tron family, and then to the listing of the new Audi Q2L at the end of the year, FAW-Volkswagen Audi completed the refresh of all products, covering the market segments from A-class to D-level.
In October last year, FAW-Volkswagen Audi led the world premiere of the founder edition of audi's flagship product, the new Audi A8L Horch, for the first time, which was also the first decipherment activity of the new Audi brand model held in China for the whole world. As the audi brand's first D+ luxury flagship model, the new Audi A8L Horch Founder Edition combines tradition, modernity and the future, and is the result of close collaboration between the Audi China Design Center and the headquarters design team. This is also the core expression and specific performance of the Audi brand 'in China, for China' brand strategy to "only for China, China exclusive" upgrade.
In the new energy market, relying on the listing of Audi e-tron and e-tron Sportback, FAW-Volkswagen Audi officially upgraded the "S.T.E.P step into the future" comprehensive electrification strategy to the 2.0 stage. With the official unveiling of the Q4 e-tron at the Guangzhou Auto Show, FAW-Volkswagen Audi has completed the comprehensive layout of Audi's four major electric vehicle platforms (MLB evo, MEB, PPE, J1) products.
The Audi Q4 e-tron is a compact SUV based on the MEB platform. As the first FAW-Volkswagen Audi model to apply the "ABC" space concept, the Audi Q4 e-tron not only highlights the "new luxury" feelings of the FAW-Volkswagen Audi brand in terms of design style and driving experience, but also further improves the FAW-Volkswagen Audi product layout of "double-line leading".
Digital transformation accelerates
The global automotive industry is undergoing a transformation from the traditional industrial era to the digital era, and the digital transformation of automotive enterprises has entered the stage from "business-centric" to "people-centric". As the first luxury brand to be deeply rooted in the Chinese market, Audi has become an outstanding representative of the digital transformation luxury brand through the comprehensive digital upgrading of products to services, and has once again become an industry pioneer.
In 2021, the development process of FAW-Volkswagen Audi Connected Vehicles will accelerate. The Audi EP business ecological digital platform relies on 7 core businesses and 4 new technology applications, and its technical strength leads the industry; the OTD digital order delivery system covers all domestic models of the FAW-Volkswagen Audi brand. In terms of manufacturing, in order to promote the digitalization process, FAW-Volkswagen Audi opened a pilot project of transparent workshop 2.0 functions to deepen the functions of vehicle barrier identification and station circulation. In terms of user digital operation mode, FAW-Volkswagen Audi has completed the deployment of the global user direct contact matrix, and the newly launched FAW Audi App version 3.0 has reached a monthly active level of 40%, and the number of registered users has successfully exceeded 1 million. The number of registered users and activity of Audi's official owner Mini Program ranks first in both the whole category of automobiles and luxury brands. At the same time, FAW-Volkswagen Audi has also built the first new energy user operation system of the luxury brand - "Audi TRON Planet", which feeds the e-tron electric ecology through the fission of direct users- operating users and users, and the platform fans will increase by 100,000 in 2021. On the service side, based on Audi's user digital management platform - Audi Cloud Listening System, FAW-Volkswagen Audi can observe the pain points in the customer experience in real time, so as to give users a more extremely pleasant experience on the basis of 100% resolution of customer complaints within 1 day.
In the 2021 brand image survey, the overall perception score of the Audi brand reached the highest level in the past 5 years, and the brand familiarity score continued to rank first in the luxury car market; at the same time, FAW-Volkswagen Audi also won the 2021 Effie Award Effect Marketing Gold Award, becoming the only car brand to win the gold award.
The 2022 product line continues to expand
Affected by uncertainties such as the epidemic and lack of cores, the transformation path of major car companies in 2022 will still be full of thorns and challenges. FAW-Volkswagen Audi will rely on breakthroughs in the four dimensions of product, marketing, technology and ecology to create a new luxury image of Audi in the electric era and continue to strengthen its strategic positioning as the core driving force of Audi's global electrification transformation.
In 2022, faw-Volkswagen Audi will continue to inject fresh blood into its product side, and will be led by the new Audi A8L Horch Founder Edition and e-tron GT "Double Flagship", with more than 18 new product lineups, bringing users a "family barrel" product experience. In addition to the electric flagship e-tron GT, the pure German luxury electric SUV , the Q4 e-tron , will also be officially launched. The urbansphere concept car based on the Chinese market will usher in the world premiere at the Beijing Auto Show. In terms of marketing, FAW-Volkswagen Audi will rely on the main electric force - Q4 e-tron, with a new sales model, multi-dimensional co-creation concept and full journey user rights and interests to create, to give users a new experience of electric luxury; technically, with e-tron GT as the product carrier, FAW-Volkswagen Audi will promote the layout of core three-electric technologies such as 800V ultra-high voltage charging technology, and plans to lay out more than 200 super charging stations, build more than 150 battery repair centers, and achieve 100% battery recycling. Construction of new energy exclusive exhibition areas in more than 500 dealer stores.
For FAW-Volkswagen Audi, the past 2021 has undoubtedly been a challenging and rewarding year. Under the dual pressure of fighting the epidemic and lacking core, FAW-Volkswagen Audi has defended its position as a leader in luxury cars with a breakthrough and enterprising spirit of innovation. "No accumulation of steps, no thousands of miles; no accumulation of small streams, no way to become a river and a sea", it is precisely by virtue of years of accumulation in the Chinese market that FAW-Volkswagen Audi has the strength and courage to go against the trend.
Edit: Shi Yan