Conrado Wittstatt, Audi General Manager: “The market grows by a postponed demand, not because of the use of dollars in the mattress”

In the middle of an encouraging panorama for the market of Premium vehicles in ArgentinaAudi officially presented the new A5 sedan, a model that marks a key change in the brand’s strategy in the country. Promoted by a sustained recovery of the segment, the launch occurs in a context where the opening of imports and the reduction of internal taxes are reconfiguring the local offer.

In that framework, Conrado Wittstatt, General Manager of Audi Argentinahighlighted in dialogue with the time the moment that crosses the brand and the strategic value of the new model:

“We continue to incorporate news from our brand. We started the year renewing A3, then we add the RS versions, the Supporters, and today it is right to the average segment, a very important car for our company, for our family,” he said during the launch event.

The new Audi A5 sedan arrives to occupy the place that the models shared so far A4 and A5a decision that represents a structural change in the portfolio of the German automaker: “This car comes to replace the A4 and A5, which is a really very important milestone,” he said Wittstatt.

Conrado Wittstatt and his opinion about the rebound in the Premium car market in the country

According to the manager, in this Argentine market reconfigurationone of the key factors behind this rebound is the elimination of obstacles that for years limited access to high -end vehicles. “What there is is a recovery of a segment that was practically prohibited in Argentina years ago. It also helps, not only the opening of imports, but also there were favorable changes in terms of very distortive taxes, such as inmates, which were reduced at the beginning of this year”he detailed.

These changes allowed not only a greater availability of products, but also more competitive prices that even surprised even Compare the value of the new A5 in Argentina with its price in Germany. Wittstatt clarified: “We made that comparison and has the same price. It is not that we seek to have the same price as Germany. It is an observation of reality and it is not a peculiarity of Audibut of the entire industry. ”

Before consultation on whether the current demand is also explained by the use of savings saved “in the mattress”, Wittstatt It was emphatic: “I do not think that is a factor today. The demand is natural, of customers who normally changed their car every 3 or 4 years, but that for the previous restrictions they kept it for 5, 6 or 7. Now, with a more normalized market, they again access these models.”

“They are customers who are very formalized, they were always formalized, which does not have that restriction of whether they have the white or black dollar, and that is what is right now. If the silver of the mattress appears, well, we will see later what happens to the industry,” he added.

With this context in favor, the Audi A5 sedan It is positioned as one of the most relevant bets of the year within the portfolio of the German firm, with a renewed proposal in design, technology and motorization that seeks to consolidate the presence of Audi in the competitive mid-range segment.