Audi vehicle sales in China rise 11 pct in H1

FRANKFURT, July 6 (Reuters) - Volkswagen's (VOWG.DE) premium brand Audi increased its deliveries to customers in China by 11 percent to a record 66,866 vehicles in the first half, Audi said on Monday.

In June alone, sales in Audi's largest export market rose 28 percent to 13,265 vehicles, also an all-time best for that month.

"This sales record shows us that we've made the right choices for the Chinese market, and that our model strategy is matched to the tastes of the Chinese customer," said Peter Schwarzenbauer, head of sales for Audi.

Demand in the first half was fuelled by a 26 percent gain in deliveries for the A4L, a derivative of Audi's popular mid-size saloon that sports a longer wheelbase and is built in Changchun exclusively for the Chinese market.

Audi, premium segment market leader in China, sold 119,598 vehicles last year in the country. Currently it has 137 dealers in 95 cities and expects to open 16 so-called "Terminal" showrooms built in the style of an airport hangar that will be the global architectural hallmark of its brand. (Reporting by Christiaan Hetzner; Editing by Hans Peters)