GERMAN carmaker Volkswagen’s Audi unit expects lower sales in 2020 despite strong numbers in the months of July, August and September, Automobilwoche head of the division Markus Duesmann said yesterday.
“We will not be able to compensate worldwide the heavy losses of the months of April and May in the full year, despite our distributors doing a really good job,” he said.
September had been the best month of the year across global operations for the premium car brand.
China was looking especially outstanding so that he believed it will end up showing a slight sales plus in 2020, Duesmann said.
Meanwhile, its Mexican auto plant will remain open and did not close, following a dispute over unpaid bills that the firm denies, as was reported by local media, an official with the company told Reuters on Saturday.
The plant is located in the central state of Puebla. Media had reported officials from the local municipality shut the facility on Friday after several hours of failed talks to resolve a dispute over an alleged 90 million pesos (RM17.6 mil) in outstanding debts on items including local property taxes and water bills.
“There was never any closure,” Audi Mexico communications official Christine Kuhlmeyer said.
“We comply on time with our obligations,” she added.
Asked about the figures circulating in local media about the allegation of unpaid debts, Kuhlmeyer said she could not comment on any specific amounts, but said plant representatives would be talking with state authorities on Monday.
“There were efforts like what’s been reported in the news, but they weren’t able to close the plant,” she said, adding that Friday night and Saturday morning work shifts were not interrupted. – Oct 12, 2020
