Audi’s->ke14 got its sights set on becoming the world’s number one luxury automaker and, if you’re one to have faith in Audi CEO Rupert Stadler, that scenario may come sooner rather than later.

In an interview with Automotive News, Stadler made it poignantly clear that Audi is fast on the heels of BMW->ke178 and, in a few years time, the Ingolstadt-based automaker will supplant its local rivals on top of the luxury car hierarchy.

“Our target is to become the leading premium brand in the world,” he said. “It won't happen in 2010. It won't happen in 2011. But it will definitely happen.”

Stadler’s words aren’t made by a CEO that’s doing more barking than biting; he’s got the facts to back it up too. So far, Audi sales in 2010 compared to the same time frame last year are already 20% higher, having already sold 450,000 vehicles this year alone. Sales in America for Audi vehicles have also spiked by 30% from its 2009 numbers, and that’s not even counting the 200,000 or so vehicles that could find is way to China before the end of the year.

Add those numbers to an overwhelming interest in the brand’s much-hyped A1->ke1729 premium compact and the impending release of a perennial hot-seller – the Audi A7->ke1687 – as well as a new Q3 next year, and it doesn’t seem to be far-fetched to think that now Audi may be gearing itself up to overtaking BMW in the near future.

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