HERNDON, Va., Feb 2, 2010 – Audi sales for January in the U.S. totaled 6,510 luxury performance cars and SUVs, which accounted for a 37.9% overall increase from January 2009. The results followed strong year-end sales that gave Audi the largest 2009 market share gain in the imported luxury vehicle sector.

Audi sales driven by increased demand for TDI engines

Audi sales of the A3 jumped 106.2% largely due to the availability of the A3 TDI clean diesel model, which won the 2010 Green Car of the Year award at the Los Angeles Auto Show in December.

In fact, the fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions benefits of TDI technology continued to provide a winning story for Audi in January 2010. For the month, the A3 TDI made up 50% of all A3 sales, while demand for the larger Q7 TDI model constituted 48% of all Q7 sales. That level of demand far exceeds original expectations for TDI sales when Audi introduced the two models last year.

Audi sales of the Audi A4 sedan, the best-selling model in the Audi lineup, rose 60.3% in January 2010 compared to a year earlier. Audi sales of all A4 variants rose a solid 34.3% from a year earlier when the A4 Cabriolet was still available.

“Having ended 2009 on such a high note, it was important to ensure that our success was substantive and enduring,” said Johan de Nysschen, President, Audi of America. “January sales figures reinforce the notion that our momentum is the byproduct of relentless innovation years in the making.”