Aussie named Audi Australia chief

AUDI has appointed Australian Andrew Doyle as its new managing director of Audi Australia from March 1, succeeding Uwe Hagen.

Mr Doyle, an Australian who spent more than five years as Audi Australia sales general manager, returns to Australia after two years as Audi Ireland director.

As we reported last week, Mr Hagen has returned to Germany to recuperate from injuries suffered in a serious motorcycle accident in Tasmania in October.

Until Mr Doyle takes up the reins in six weeks, Audi Australia chairman André Konsbruck will act as managing director.

Mr Konsbruck said Mr Doyle had the right mix of international and domestic experience to steer the company through its next phase of local growth.

“Mr Doyle’s experience in the Australian market as Audi’s head of sales, along with his international experience as an employee of Audi AG make him the ideal candidate to head the Australian business in its next phase of growth in the market,” he said.

After seven years of double-digit growth and a rapid expansion of its model range, Audi Australia sales grew just 0.2 per cent in 2012.

This year, Audi will release a new-generation A3 hatchback, as well as a host of niche sports cars to boost the Volkswagen-owned brand’s performance arsenal in Australia.

New additions will include the S3, A6 and A7 twin-turbo diesels, the scorching RS4 Avant and larger RS6 Avant, a revised RS5 cabriolet and the SQ5 sports SUV.