Beijing: Three Audi world premieres at Auto China

 Audi Ag., the German premium automaker has announced that will unveil three new vehicles at the 2012 Beijing Auto Show next week – the new A6 L, the Audi RS Q3 concept and another show car based on the Audi Q3.

China is a big deal for Audi, where it is a premium car sales leader — thanks, in part, to a long history of being on the important list of government-approved vehicles for use by state officials.

China passed the United States in 2009 in number of vehicles sold, and sales last year totalled 18.5 million vehicles.

However after a forecast-busting 35 per cent increase in 2010, vehicle sales rose just 2.5 per cent last year to 18.5m, including a 5.2 per rise in passenger car sales to 14.5m, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.

Manufacturers forecast steady increases in Chinese sales, with 30m units a year in view in around 2020.