Full-year operating profit rose to €2.7bn from €2bn a year earlier as pre-tax profit soared by almost 50 per cent to €2.9bn.

Audi said it sold 964,000 vehicles worldwide in 2007 – a year-on-year increase of 6.5 per cent – and achieved record sales in over 50 markets.

2007 represented the twelfth record breaking year in a row for the German brand. Rupert Stadler, Audi AG chairman, said the group aimed to maintain its profitable growth despite tough trading conditions in the automotive market. “We aim to surpass the one million mark for vehicles sold this year,” said Stadler. “Current figures for the first two months of the year demonstrate that we are well on our way toward reaching that goal. “Sales increased by 4.7 per cent in January and by 2.6 per cent in February, making these the best two months in our company's history.”