Germany's Audi races to new monthly sales record

German carmaker Audi has already sold more units this year than in all of 2011. While demand remains weak in Europe, declines there have been more than just compensated for in Asia and the Americas. German luxury auto maker Audi, a part of the Volkswagen (VW) Group, announced on Monday it had already reached 2011 sales levels weeks ahead of the New Year. The Ingolstadt-based carmaker sold 1.345 billion units in the first 11 months of the current year, logging double-digit global growth in November. The 10.9-percent year-on-year increase meant well over 123,000 cars left Audi showrooms all over the world. The only dark spot in November was the eurozone, with sales declining most markedly in Italy, Spain and France and Audi's home market also showing weak demand. Diesel brands at a premium However, Audi said it was still in positive territory for the whole of Europe where the carmaker posted a year-on-year sales increase of 3.5 percent for the period between January and November. The biggest November gains were made in China and the US, where sales soared by around 25 percent. "Audi sales are growing faster than overall car sales in the US market, particularly in the prestigious luxury segment," Audi's Distribution and Marketing CEO Luca de Meo said in a statement. "It's here that we'll be expanding our successful Diesel brands, with TDI clean Diesel for the A6, A7 and A8 series."