German luxury carmaker, Audi, has closed 2008 with a massive sales increase of 30.2 percent in Australia.

To close a tough 2008, Audi Australia sold 598 cars in December, bringing the full year cumulative result to 9,410 units, compared with 7,225 for the previous year.

The result represents the fourth consecutive year of record growth, and a doubling of market share in Australia since 2004.

In the same four year period sales volume has increased by 154 percent, from 3,700 units to close on 9,500 units in 2008.

Managing director, Joerg Hofmann, said the company’s final result was exceptional in a year of great upheaval for car sales – not only in Australia, but also due to a difficult global economic situation.

"On top of the past several months of worldwide economic gloom, the year was also marked with significant change in Australia, following the increase of the Luxury Car Tax LCT from 25 to 33 percent on 1 July.

"Luxury carmakers mounted a strong argument against the Government’s budget announcement, and inspite of the tax increase being voted down in the senate in early September, it nonetheless passed later in the month, significantly affecting premium vehicle sales.

"Audi escaped the full impact of this decision by covering the tax increase on behalf of its customers from 1 July until the start of September, however many other carmakers were seriously affected."