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Yang Zhenyu, manager of Audi brand product management department of SAIC-Volkswagen Motor Co., Ltd., is currently under the supervision and investigation of Jiading District Supervisory Commission, suspected of serious violations of the law, according to the official website of the Supervisory Commission of Shanghai Jiading District discipline Inspection Commission.

According to the data, Yang Zhenyu was born in May 1981 with a master's degree and is a member of the Communist Party of China. He worked in April 2007, served as the Manager of the Communication Strategy Department of the Mass Brand Marketing Department from 2016 to 2017, the Manager of the Volkswagen Brand Marketing Department from 2017 to January 2020, and the Audi Brand Product Management Manager since January 2020.

Audi brand is an important part of SAIC Volkswagen's layout of the high-end market. It is understood that the SAIC Audi project began in 2016, but the project was boycotted because it involved the interests of dealers, and signed the "519 Agreement" with dealers, Audi and other parties to shelve the dispute and suspend it.

After many games and negotiations, Audi reached an agreement with FAW Audi dealers on differences in the first half of 2017 to determine "one sales company and one network" in the future. In June 2018, Audi spent 150 million yuan to buy 1% of SAIC-Volkswagen, and SAIC-Volkswagen was officially qualified to produce Audi-branded products. Since then, SAIC Audi Division was officially established. Jia Mingdi, Deputy General Manager of sales and Marketing of SAIC Volkswagen and General Manager of SAIC Volkswagen Automobile sales Co., Ltd., has been the general manager of Audi Brand Division of SAIC Volkswagen Automobile Co., Ltd since August 2018. In December 2020, China FAW, Germany Audi and SAIC reached a consensus that SAIC Audi products will be sold and after-sales services by FAW-Volkswagen Audi investor network in the future.

SAIC Audi's first product is the Audi A7L, which made its debut at the Shanghai auto show in April and is scheduled to start pre-sale in September and be officially delivered in January. From the perspective of real cars, the biggest change between domestic Audi A7L and imported models is the cancellation of the slip-back body design, lengthening the body according to the needs of the domestic market, and the black mesh used in the hexagonal intake grille is embellished with laser matrix LED headlights on both sides, which is the only one of Audi's domestic fuel vehicles equipped with laser headlights. In terms of size, the length, width and height of the new car are 5076/1908/1429mm and the wheelbase is 3026mm.

Interior decoration basically continues the design style of the overseas version, using 12.7in LCD dashboard, 10.1in central control screen and 8.6inch air conditioning control panel three screens, as well as heads-up display system HUD. In addition, there are three-frame multi-function steering wheel and electronic lever.

In terms of power, the Audi A7L 55TFSI quattro unveiled at the Shanghai Auto Show features a 3.0T V6 engine, a 48V light hybrid system, a maximum power of 340hp and a peak torque of 500N ·m, coupled with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and a Quattro four-wheel drive system.

For SAIC, at present, it has joint venture brands such as Volkswagen, Buick, Skoda, Cadillac and so on. although it has rich brands, only Cadillac competes with other brands in the high-end market. Audi brand has a deep-rooted position in China's high-end market, and it is of great significance to join SAIC. For SAIC-Volkswagen, there are only two brands, Volkswagen and Skoda, and the luxury market is still vacant. However, with the mass production of SAIC Audi's first model, SAIC-Volkswagen will also usher in a more complete brand camp, including Skoda, a mid-and low-end brand, Volkswagen brands in the mainstream market, and Audi brands in the luxury market. All in all, Audi is an important part of SAIC Volkswagen's layout of the high-end market, and SAIC Volkswagen is the "profit cow" of SAIC Group. The addition of SAIC Audi brand is of great significance to both SAIC Volkswagen and SAIC.

SAIC Audi's first product is already in full swing, and at this important juncture, brand internal executives are suddenly investigated, although as a department manager, Yang Zhenyu's investigation on suspicion of breaking the law will not bring Audi's project to a standstill. but it will more or less affect the brand, which has not yet officially launched a new car. Although Audi is still developing in the Chinese market, SAIC Audi can only be regarded as a new brand, which can not afford all kinds of troubles both in terms of sales volume and brand.

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