Audi has confirmed that it is about to get very, very aggressive, with a €22 billion (R313 billion) investment programme for the next five years.
And 70 percent of that investment will go into new models and technologies, leading to 11 additional models by 2020.
The German plants at Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm will also benefit from the biggest technical development programme in Audi's history. To achieve its goal of two million cars a year, it will need to expand its product range from the current 49 models to 60 by 2020.
Also provided for in the programme is the next generation of fuel-efficient engines, which will enable Audi to meet stricter emissions legislation worldwide.
NEW-MODEL BLITZ
The new-model blitz starts right now, with the A3 Sportback e-tron and A3 Sportback g-tron and the third-generation TT Coupé due for release in 2014. It's also been confirmed that the Q1 will go into production at Ingolstadt in 2016.
The first Audi plant in North America, at San José Chiapa in Mexico, will start building the Q5 from 2016, and the company has plans to begin producing again at São José dos Pinhais in Brazil, starting in 2015 with the new A3 Sedan and the Q3.
Meanwhile, at the largest engine-building plant in the world in Gyr in Hungary, a new assembly line for complete cars has begun rolling out the A3 sedan and Cabriolet, soon to be followed by the new TT Coupé and roadster.