Audi sales to double by 2015

German luxury car maker Audi AG said it expects its sales in China to double over the next seven years after the country become its biggest overseas market outside Germany.

The luxury car unit of Volkswagen AG targets to sell 200,000 units in China by 2015, said Werner Paul Eichhorn, general manager of Audi Division under Volkswagen (China) Investment Co Ltd.

Audi's projection followed a 24.8-percent sales growth to a record high of 100,888 units on China's mainland last year, fueled by demand for its A4 and A6 sedans made by its Chinese joint venture, First Automotive Works Group.

The car maker is defending its leading position in the domestic market as the mainland's rising population of affluent consumers and an economic boom will help it narrow the gap with BMW AG as the world's largest luxury car maker. BMW last year boosted sales by 42 percent to 51,588 units on the Chinese mainland.