Audi, Porsche to expand dealership network

German automakers Audi and Porsche are looking to expand their dealership network, a new report finds. The growth is intended to further the brands in emerging markets and to close sales gaps with competitors. The plan calls for the increase in the number of dealerships to 3,000 by 2011 -- up from the current level of 2,700.

"We need this density in order to achieve our targeted sales of 1.5 million vehicles (annually)," Audi sales chief Ralph Weyler told Auto Motor und Sport in a recent interview. Audi has made it publicly known that it intends to dethrone BMW as the largest luxury marque, and the increase to 3,000 dealerships would equal BMW's network.

The plan also includes adding more than 50 dealerships to Porsche's network of 650 dealers. Porsche sales chief Klaus Berning says the new dealerships will be in locations that don't currently have access to Porsche products. "We want to continuously expand our current network of 650 dealers to more than 700 in the coming 10 years, mainly in growth markets like China, India and Russia," he said.

Berning also predicted that China could become the automaker's largest market by 2012, overtaking its home market of Germany. According to Reuters, Porsche expects to sell more than 3,500 vehicles in China this year.