Page 113 - january-2022-issue-602-part2

äGQÉ``«°S

Carsten Bender

(Managing Director - Audi Middle East)

We are transitioning our product range to electric
vehicles in all of our core segments more system

atically than any other established carmaker

Carsten Bender, Managing Director of Audi Middle East believes that cus-
tomers are crucial to their success, and that’s why they, at Audi, do
everything they can to ensure that their customers become fans.
Bender declared, in an interview with Al Bayan Magazine, that 2021 was one of
recovery for the automotive sector, stating that the semiconductor issue is
something that is affecting all industries all over the world, noting that the
automotive industry is currently going through a transformative and very
significant phase. He added that Audi is ready to make a decisive and powerful
move into the electric age and that all Audi models that will be launched on the
global market starting in 2026 will be all-electric. Following is an extract
from the interview.

* How do you evaluate the Motor Sector for 2021? * What are the new models that will be launched during the year
- 2021 was one of recovery for the automotive sector, but also one 2022? What are their characteristics and are there any price
where we witnessed growth and continued improvement. We were incentives or promotions?
able to introduce the e-tron GT which is our flagship electric model - We have the RS3 joining our lineup in Q1, and have made the
and our most powerful production engine yet, in turn making a new already legendary five-cylinder even better. The result is greater
era for Audi, with the Middle East being amongst the first territories torque, greater pull, greater top speed- topped off with an unmistak-
globally to make it available to customers. able sound. The latest RS3 models are truly premium sports cars
We also had excellent regional performance as compared to 2020 suitable for everyday use.
with a 16% increase in sales and continued success across the We are also introducing the most luxurious models from Audi - the
entire range. We are looking forward to continued market recovery A8 and S8 in Ramadan. The design has been sharpened, and we
leading into 2022. have introduced innovative technologies making an already incredi-
ble car even better.
* Will the issue of the slowdown in production due to the con- Our dealers across the region always offer a variety of promotions
tinuous shortage of electronic chips have any effect on the and incentives to our discerning customer base, with more informa-
export of cars to the region and, consequently, on sales? tion available at dealer locations across the Middle East.
- The semiconductor issue is something that is affecting all indus- We are also preparing for an amazing lineup of or electric e-tron
tries all over the world There is an undersupply in the automotive models arriving later in the year and are currently working on our
sector of around 10 percent due to the allocation of chips towards own initiatives in the region when it comes to development of high-
telecommunications and entertainment electronics in the wake of performance charging infrastructure, ensuring that we can do our
the corona pandemic. part in pushing ahead and making way for the future in the
Over the past weeks, some chip factories were closed, while others Middle East.
produced with considerably reduced capacity. We are still feeling the
effects, the supply situation is stabilizing slowly. We are constantly * What is your outlook for the future?
monitoring the situation, coordinating within the Volkswagen Group - Audi is ready to make a decisive and powerful move into the elec-
as well as with suppliers and freight forwarders tric age which is why we are transitioning our product range to elec-
We are aiming to make rapid adjustments to best suit the needs of
the markets and our customers tric vehicles in all of our core segments more systematically
than any other established carmaker. Production
* What are the other challenges the for our last new combustion engine model
Automobile sector is currently facing will begin in 2025. Its rollout to interna-
and how do you plan to tackle tional markets will extend into 2026.
them? All other Audi models that will be
- The automotive industry is at cur- launched on the global market
rently going through a transforma- starting in 2026 will already be all-
tive and very significant phase. electric.
We are experiencing a massive The future of mobility will strive
shift and an influx of technological towards environment-friendly,
advancement unlike any other time integrated, automated and person-
in history. Each era of mobility alized travel on demand and my
opens the door for the next and we expectations are for the industry to
are now at that crossroads where we continue making strides into electrification
need to make way for the next phase of and future, sustainable mobility at full speed.
innovation.
AL BAYAN ECONOMIC MAG - ISSUE 602 - JANUARY 2022
443