Q&A: Does Audi Franchise in the UK?

Becky Martin, writer

Published at 23/04/2019, Updated on 04/05/2022 , Reading time: 5 min

Q&A: Does Audi Franchise in the UK? — Photo © audi-franchise(1).jpg

Audi is a well-known automobile manufacturer famous for its luxurious vehicles. If you’ve always been a fan of the brand, you might be interested in whether you can start an Audi franchise unit in the UK…

Audi is one of the world’s leading car manufacturers, designing and manufacturing premium cars that are sold in markets across the globe. Audi champions “sporty vehicles, high build quality and progressive design”, which allows it to be an innovator in its field. It currently benefits from over 100 international markets, and carried out 1,878,105 deliveries in 2017 alone. Audi has a huge international workforce of 90,000 employees; this is a diverse group, with 93 different nationalities. Before we find out if you can buy an Audi franchise in the UK, let’s take a look at its interesting history.

History of Audi

The roots of Audi go far back, beginning with Audi Automobilewerke, a car manufacturing company that was founded in Germany by August Horch 10 years after he opened his first car company, Horch & Cie, in 1899.
In 1932, these two companies merged, along with two others: DKW and Wanderer. The resulting entity became Auto Union AG, which would go on to become the second largest motor vehicle manufacturing group in Germany.
The years after the Second World War brought disruption to the business, as it was located in a region that was occupied by Soviet forces. This meant that they could seize its property, close the company down and remove it from the Commercial Register in the city of Chemnitz.
The business leaders were determined to continue trading, however, and established a new company in Ingolstadt in 1949 under the name of Auto Union GmbH.
1965 signalled the birth of Audi as we know it. Auto Union GmbH revealed a new car called the Audi 100 – the company’s first post-war car with a four-stroke engine.

Does Audi franchise in the UK?

Unfortunately, Audi does not offer franchising opportunities in the UK. However, as Audi is a global retailer, it could decide to launch a franchising model in the future, so it’s worth checking back in time.

How to get involved with Audi

If you’re dedicated to being part of the Audi brand, the good news is there are lots of ways you can do this. Audi is keen to sustain its success and so takes measures to continually boost its employee base with talented and dedicated workers. As a result, it advertises 800 places on its training courses every year and provides more than 124,000 hours of postgraduate training across Europe.

You could also be part of the UK Head Office team in Milton Keynes, become an apprentice, join the ex-armed forces programme, and so much more. Head to the careers section of its website for more details.

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The automotive sector in the UK

The automotive industry is big business, with it employing over 823,000 people (Statista) and there being approximately 32 million cars on our roads (IET). It’s hardly surprising, then, that the sector generates over £18.6 billion for the UK economy. So, while it isn’t possible to start an Audi franchise, it’s a smart decision to see what else is out there.

Similar franchise opportunities

Although Point Franchise doesn’t offer any car manufacturer franchises, you might be interested in the various car wash franchises, car leasing franchises, car dealership franchises or garage and car repair franchises in the UK franchise directory. Let’s take a closer look at two of these now.

ChipsAway

The ChipsAway franchise specialises in SMART (small to medium area repair technology) processes. Having operated in the automotive sector for around 20 years, the franchise is now the most extensive network of car repair specialists in the UK.

Becoming a ChipsAway franchisee: ChipsAway provides franchisees with a ‘ready-to-go’ turn-key business. As a result, this is an excellent investment opportunity if you’d like to join the automotive industry but have limited expertise. As a franchisee with this van-based business, you’ll take your mobile workshop wherever your customers are, but you can open a dedicated car care centre in the future.
How much you need to invest: Franchisees need to raise an initial investment of £29,995, but this can be reduced to just £15,000 through various funding arrangements.
What you get for your investment: You’ll receive training in technical skills, business management, marketing and sales, as well as ongoing support and marketing materials. You’ll also be put in touch with a UK call centre that’s open 24/7 and directs business your way when you’re not able to get to the phone. What’s more, ChipsAway guarantees that all new franchisees will be given £80,000 worth of customer enquiries in their first year of trade.

>> Read more:

Etyres

Established in 1992, Etyres was the first online tyre franchise to operate in the UK. It capitalised on a gap in the market and implemented a franchising expansion plan in 1996. Specialising in online tyre ordering and mobile fitting, this van-based franchise provides an essential service in a vast market.

Becoming an Etyres franchisee: There are over 34 million vehicles on the road in the UK alone, so franchisees can be sure there will always be demand for their services when they join Etyres. Head to its client page to sign up.
How much you need to invest: Starting a franchise requires a minimum initial investment of £24,000. However, up to 70 percent of this initial investment can be covered by a lending agreement with a financial institution.
What you get for your investment: When franchisees join Etyres, they’ll receive a franchise package that includes an extensive training scheme, ongoing support, updates on product developments, equipment and guidance on how to establish the new business.

Start an automotive franchise unit

We’ve discussed just two of the fantastic franchise opportunities on our books at the moment, but you can see a full list on our car franchises page. Enjoyed this? You might also be interested in whether you can start a BMW franchise unit in the UK.