AUDI has imposed a 40,000 ceiling on the number of cars it intends to sell in Britain each year. Executives at the German company have agreed that the ceiling represents the optimum penetration level for maintaining the positioning of the brand in the prestige sector.

Product marketing manager David Ingram said: 'Our view is that to go beyond this figure would drive Audi firmly into the volume territory. That would go against everything we've worked for in building our marque.'

With year to date sales totals reflecting a 24.3% increase on 1996 - 16,098 registrations for the first five months compared with 12,953 - Audi is set to achieve well in excess of 30,000 sales this year. All but 15 per cent of sales are corporate business.