Audi Korea bets on A6, Q3 launches to fuel 2026 growth

Audi Korea Executive Director Steve Cloete speaks during a media roundtable held at Audi showroom in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul on Thursday. (Audi Korea)

Audi Korea on Thursday laid out an ambitious product and expansion plan for 2026, seeking to continue momentum from last year's rebound that the company said restored customer trust and delivered double-digit sales growth.

The German carmaker said the launches of the new A6 sedan and third-generation Q3 compact SUV will lead its 2026 lineup, alongside additional models in segments not previously offered in Korea, without disclosing further details.

“Together, these models represent more than sales momentum,” said Audi Korea Executive Director Steve Cloete during a media roundtable held at the Audi showroom in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul. “They symbolize Audi’s commitment to delivering products to our customers they can trust today and over the long-term.”

Cloete added Audi is also preparing to launch a new internal combustion-based model, hinting at the potential release of new hybrid vehicles.

“We are planning some hybrid model technology that is in our life cycle,” Cloete said when asked whether the new Q3 would come out in a plug-in hybrid powertrain. “So you should be seeing those in the future in the market as we are planning them in the key segments where we don’t have hybrids.”

Amid plummeting demand for diesel cars in Korea, Cloete said Audi has also strategically reduced its diesel lineup, but will continue to offer some models.

“We have reduced our diesel mix as a brand, and we will continue to bring diesels to the market for those customers that do require it,” he said. “But we do our sales planning really in relevance to how customers behave in terms of purchasing behavior. So we will continue to bring diesels, but at a much lower mix.”

Alongside new product launches, Audi Korea said it will focus on overhauling and expanding its dealer and service network in 2026. The company plans to roll out its Progressive Showroom Concept across showrooms to provide a more consistent brand experience, while expanding service centers and battery competency centers to meet rising EV demand.

The 2026 strategy builds on momentum from 2025, a year marked by the company’s biggest-ever product launch in the market with 16 new models across both electric and internal combustion vehicles.

Audi Korea sold 11,001 vehicles last year, an 18.2 percent increase from the previous year. EV sales increased 26.6 percent, with EVs accounting for about 40 percent of total volume.

The Q4 e-tron model was especially notable, with sales exceeding 3,000 units in 2025, making it the top-selling imported German luxury EV in Korea for the second consecutive year, according to the company.

“We did not chase short-term numbers. We chose trust, and we chose long-term relevance in the Korean market,” said Cloete. “2025 was also a turning point for customer experience. Rather than expanding blindly, we rebuilt our network with purpose, focusing on efficiency, accessibility and consistency.”

Looking further ahead, Audi revealed plans to enter Formula 1 in 2026, describing the move as a platform to showcase technological capabilities that will shape Audi’s future vehicles and the brand for years to come.

“Korea remains a focused market for Audi, and we are fully committed to earning the trust at every single customer touchpoint.”