Audi plans 13 b euro investments to 2016

FRANKFURT (Reuters): Volkswagen unit Audi will invest 13 billion euros ($17 billion) from 2012 to 2016 in new products and its factories, mostly in Germany, it said on Tuesday.

Audi said it would add about 1,200 staff in Germany next year.

“To continue our profitable growth, we’ll power ahead with investments in new products,” Chief Financial Officer Axel Strotbek said in a statement on Tuesday. More than 10.5 billion euros will be invested in the development of new models as well as in future technologies such as electric or hybrid engines, the company said.

Audi Chief Executive Rupert Stadler told Reuters on Sunday that the automotive industry faced a tougher year in 2012 compared with this year.