Volkswagen's premium marque Audi said first-quarter deliveries fell 6.1% year-on-year, with the company shipping 360,106 vehicles in the first three months of 2026. The decline was driven by weaker demand in two of Audi's largest markets, China and North America, the company said.
China, Audi's largest single market, recorded a 12% reduction in deliveries to 127,109 units. Audi attributed that decline to a mix of factors it identified within the market: a broader slowdown in the global automotive sector, the termination of Chinese government subsidies and ongoing model transitions that have affected its lineup.
In North America, deliveries dropped sharply, down 27% to 35,464 vehicles. Audi pointed to the impact of U.S. import tariffs that took effect in April 2025, along with regulatory changes, as material headwinds to shipments in the region.
By contrast, Europe was a relative bright spot for Audi in the quarter. Deliveries there rose 5.9% to 123,724 units, providing a partial offset to weakness elsewhere.
Deliveries to overseas and emerging markets fell 6.3% to 23,501 vehicles. Audi said demand in the Middle East and Israel was affected by the Iran war, which weighed on sales in those markets.
The company also noted that, across its portfolio, model changeovers and discrete policy shifts in key markets were significant contributors to the regional divergence in results.
Volkswagen's Porsche unit similarly reported a decline in first-quarter deliveries, with the company saying that weaker performance affected almost all markets, including China, the U.S. and Europe. The Porsche update included the string "nL8N40S25L" in its release.
The delivery figures reflect shipments over the first three months of 2026 and the company framed the results in terms of market-specific demand dynamics and policy factors cited above. Audi did not provide additional volume forecasts or forward-looking guidance in the statements summarizing first-quarter deliveries.
Context for sectors and markets
- Automotive manufacturing and supply chains: The regional mix of demand and model change cycles can influence production rates, inventory and working capital flows for premium brands.
- Trade and regulatory exposure: Import tariffs and regulatory shifts, particularly in North America, can have direct effects on cross-border shipments and pricing for imported vehicles.
- Regional market health: Subsidy programs and geopolitical events can materially alter consumer demand in key markets such as China and parts of the Middle East.