Audi Halts US Exports Amid Trade Tensions with US
German automaker Audi has reportedly halted the export of its vehicles to the United States, according to a report by Der Spiegel on Monday. The company has already stopped the delivery of the already-exported vehicles to its contract dealers and further transportation of the vehicles across the ocean has been put on hold.
The move is attributed to the tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on EU goods, with Audi being fully affected by the new tariffs as it does not have a production plant in the US. The US bestseller, the Q5, is manufactured in Mexico, while other models come from plants in Germany, Hungary and Slovakia.
Initially, the news was reported by the Automotive Week, which stated that all vehicles that arrived in the US after April 2 would be held back and not handed over to the dealers. Dealers are now advised to focus on reducing their stock levels. An Audi spokesperson confirmed the information to Der Spiegel on Monday, stating that the company currently has over 37,000 vehicles in the US that are not affected by the new tariffs, which would last for about two months.
Audi, a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, has been in the headlines for its plan to reduce its workforce by around 7,500 employees by 2029. In the previous year, Audi sold approximately 12% fewer vehicles than in 2023, with the 2024 figures not yet available. In contrast, direct competitors of Audi, such as BMW and Daimler-Benz, reported significant losses, with a decline of around 30% or more in their profits.