It has been a landmark year for the brand with four rings, bringing a mix of significant wins incombination with challenges at home and abroad. Earlier this month Audi was named the top selling luxury car brand in New Zealand for the fifth year running. We caught up with Audi of New Zealand General Manager, Dane Fisher, to find out just what it is about the Audi that gets us kiwis excited.

So 2011 was a good year, can you tell us a bit about it?

It was! We had a record-breaking year, selling 1,331 vehicles to keep us in top spot in theluxury car market once again. We achieved this in the face of worldwide economic uncertaintyand, of course, the Christchurch earthquake here in New Zealand. I am especially impressed with Christchurch dealership, Archibalds, who earned our Dealer of the Year honour in spite ofthe challenges the earthquake threw at them. The resilience of the people of Christchurch and the determination of the Audi team down there is inspiring.

Highlights from this year include a string of awards for the new A6, and A7, the construction of Grey Lynn’s multi-million dollar Giltrap Prestige dealership ‘the Audi Terminal’ and some great experiences at Fashion Week, Taste of New Zealand, Audi ice experience and quattro experience, which we were also able to share with our growing online community.

You’ve been kiwis’ favourite luxury car brand for five years now, how will you becelebrating this milestone?

We are pretty excited and proud. But we are also humbled. The results show an anchoring ofloyalty for the brand in New Zealand against the backdrop of natural disasters and five years of worldwide economic uncertainty.

We will be celebrating by investing back in the New Zealand community that has embraced the Audi brand – we’re currently developing a not-for-profit partnership, which we can hopefully share with you soon!

What do you think Kiwis’ fascination with Audi is?

I think more than anything Audi vehicles are strongly suited to the active New Zealand lifestyle andour country’s varied terrain. More than 60 percent of our local line-up offers quattro all-wheel-drive asstandard, making Audi vehicles ideal to take to the beach or snow. Whether driving around the city ormaking the most of the diverse outdoor activities on offer in our own backyard, quattro delivers moretraction, more driving safety and more driving pleasure.

Also, the Audi brand represents real prestige and elegance without being flashy or showy, which Ithink rings true with the New Zealand psyche.
And... we have a lot of fun with our customers! We know it’s not just about the car, but also theexperience. So we like to make sure our customers can experience the brand and their cars to thefullest degree, whether it’s setting them loose on a custom-built race track in the snow in Cardrona Valley, or an advanced driving session at world-class circuit Hampton-Downs.

We’ve seen a few familiar faces join the Audi ranks this year. What’s the story there?

Yes, we had a few new ambassadors join the Audi family. Agent to the stars and Top Model hostSara Tetro has been an Audi devotee for many years and she has become a real motor aficionado. She is doing amazing things in the business and entertainment world. She’s a great ally.

And the incomparable Masterchef, Simon Gault. He is a fan of all things fast, whether he is in his1950s Mustang plane or on the road. He had a bit of trouble against Sainsbury at Audi Ice Experience, but he redeemed himself in an Ambassador day at Hampton Downs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnYQHQQd5ms. They join Steve Dunstan, from Huffer, our A1 ambassador – have you been to Huffer’s newstore?

Yes! The A1s are everywhere! How’s that model going?

2011 was the first full year for the A1. It’s been an important addition to the fleet because it offers a true premium experience at a lower price point. Now, over 150 A1 customers have been able to experience what owning an Audi is all about, and that’s great.

Onwards and upwards, what’s on the books for Audi in 2012?

2012 will be another significant year for Audi’s product range with the upcoming launches of thenew urban Q3, the stunning A6 Avant and the latest powerhaus in the Audi range, the new S6, S7and S8 which each feature the new 4.0 litre twin turbo V8. I can’t wait!

We’re looking forward to being a part of Taste of New Zealand again and launching a nationwide driving academy later this year. We will also be ramping up our social media content to extend that Audi experience for our supporters, so stay tuned!

www.facebook.com/AudiofNZ @AudiofNZ