Hosted virtually for the second year running, this year’s event was livestreamed from the Art Gallery of New South Wales in the name of safety as areas of Australia snap in and out of lockdowns to try and quell the spread of COVID-19.
This year’s event was a memorable one for Audi Centre Sydney in particular as it completed a hat-trick of wins in the Major Metropolitan category, a prize it nabbed ahead of Audi Centre Perth (WA) and Audi Centre Mosman (NSW).
Audi Centre Sydney (L-R): Paul Sansom (Audi Australia Managing Director), Ashley Horne (General Manager).
For Audi Solitaire and Audi Alto Central Coast on the other hand, the 2020 awards served as their maiden wins in the Metropolitan and Rural categories respectively.
Audi Centre South Brisbane (QLD) and Audi Alto Pennant Hills (NSW) were named as runners up behind Audi Solitaire for the metro award while Audi Centre Toowoomba (NSW) and Audi Centre Cairns (NSW) occupied the rural minor placings.
The final prize of the event, the Audi Foundation Award, went to Audi Centre Brisbane (QLD) for its work with RU OK?, The Smith Family and The Charlie Teo Foundation – all Audi Foundation charity partners.
Audi Solitaire (L-R): Bill Holst and David Smoker (Dealers Principal), Karl-Heinz Zirkel (General Manager).
Mr Sansom congratulated the 2020 winners but also praised the efforts of all the other dealers nationally as the coronavirus pandemic ran rife around the globe, resulting in some of the toughest market conditions ever seen.
“We had to intensify our focus on our customers more than ever before,” he said.
“They relied upon us to protect them, at a fundamental level, but they also challenged us to innovate, to adapt and above all else, bring the best Audi product range we’ve ever had to this market … and then on top of that, bring it all to life through powerful communication.
Audi Alto Central Coast (L-R): Praveen Devarajan (General Manager), George Severino (Dealer Principal).
“I’m equally proud of all of our dealer partners who showed determination, expertise and commitment to our customers.
“Every person, within every business that represents Audi here in Australia, has such a meaningful and valuable impact on our brand.”
Audi sold 15,868 new vehicles in 2020 and was one of the few brands to experience any sort of positive growth (+1%).
Sales were up 18.9 per cent through the first quarter of 2021 (3703 vs 4402) with the Q3 small SUV comfortably proving to be the most popular offering (1590).
Audi Centre Brisbane (L-R): Clinton Wright (Marketing Manager), Chris Chamberlain (Dealer Principal).
By Neil Dowling
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