Audi Korea aims to continue sales winning streak with A6, Q3: CEO

Audi Korea CEO Steve Cloete speaks during a press conference in Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Audi Korea

Audi Korea seeks to extend its strong sales momentum throughout 2026 by introducing two completely redesigned strategic models — the A6 flagship sedan and the Q3 compact SUV, its CEO said on Thursday.

“The A6 will certainly be the focus in Korea, and so would the Q3,” Steve Cloete told reporters during a press conference.

“The two models will form part of our strategy into the future and those cars will be launched very close to one another in the Korean market.”

The carmaker achieved a remarkable rebound last year on solid sales of its flagship Q4 e-tron electric SUV. The local subsidiary of the German luxury carmaker sold a total of 11,001 vehicles in 2025, up 18.2 percent from the previous year.

Audi Korea’s electric vehicle (EV) sales growth was particularly noteworthy. The carmaker sold 4,427 EVs last year, up 26.6 percent from a year earlier. All-electric cars accounted for more than 40 percent of the firm’s total sales during the same period.

The A6 is Audi Korea's most symbolically important sedan. The fully-redesigned A6 is expected to play a key role in driving sales from the carmaker’s sedan lineup. The Q3 is the firm’s best-selling premium compact SUV, and the new version will be equipped with more advanced safety features and a sophisticated exterior design.

Since taking office as chief of the Korean subsidiary in 2024, Cloete has focused on diversifying their vehicle lineups, as a lack of new models had been cited as the biggest problem for the once-struggling German carmaker’s local operation. In response, he pledged to improve the sluggish sales by introducing 16 new models in 2025 alone.

The strategy is paying off, as evidenced by the strong sales recovery. In addition to the robust sales of the Q4 e-tron, Audi Korea’s other key strategic models, including the A5 sedan, the Q5 SUV and the Q6 e-tron electric SUV, also contributed to balanced sales growth in 2025.

Cloete said Audi Korea will continue achieving solid and balanced sales with other highly commercial lineups.

“This year, we will also focus on four proven core models, the A3, Q3, Q7 and Q8, each representing a different stage in life.”