Audi is keen to expand its sales in the US, easily its biggest market, and it plans to do so using a three-pronged attack. Automotive News reports the company will be increasing the number of models on offer, adding more exclusive dealers and advertising more, especially on the Internet.

Audi’s US Vice President, Johan de Nysschen, has admitted the carmaker is frustrated by its low sales in North America. It managed to sell 90,116 vehicles in the US last year, a poor result when compared with the likes of Lexus who managed to rack up 322,434 sales. Worldwide, Audi sold 905,000 vehicles in 2006. It plans to increase this figure to 1.4 million units by 2015 by expanding into China and India. To get noticed, de Nysschen said, Audi will start acting more like an American brand, stating “it's time to stop being so understated and a little more American in telling our brand story.”

The company from Ingolstadt will be launching 19 vehicles in the US between 2005 and 2007, including the new R8 sports car, new TT and the upcoming A5 coupe. A small luxury SUV is also on the cards as well as an extensive range of diesel powered cars. "Our mission and aspiration in the US,” added Nysschen “is quite simply, to be recognized in the same light as Mercedes-Benz and BMW.”