In the next five years, Audi will invest approximately €11.6 billion in new products and technologies, production facilities and human resources, the Ingolstadt based manufacturer announced today.

“With this investment, we are laying the foundation for sustained, profitable growth, and supporting our claim to leadership in the premium car segment”, said Axel Strotbek, Board Member for Finance and Organization of AUDI AG.

More than €9.5 billion, or about 80 per cent of the total investment, will go into developing new products and technologies, including electric and hybrid powertrains that will be used by models like the Audi R8 e-tron or Q5 Hybrid. Part of this amount will also go into further improving the new A6’s line-up and launching the Q3 crossover.

In the same period of time, €5 billion will be spent on upgrading the company’s production facilities in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm.

“In addition to our foreign sites, the German sites will also profit greatly from the Audi brand’s good worldwide prospects for growth, especially in China,” Strotbek said.

Last but not least, Audi is going to hire new personnel, seen as a key asset for further expansion.

“Innovation requires people”, said Thomas Sigi, Member of the AUDI AG Board of Management for Human Resources. “For this reason, we want to hire around 1,200 experts in 2011 who will primarily bolster our electromobility and lightweight construction fields of competence, as well as the implementation of our growth strategy”.

By Csaba Daradics

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