Audi halts U.S. deliveries of newly imported cars amid Trump's tariffs

German luxury carmaker Audi has suspended deliveries of vehicles that arrived at U.S. ports after April 2, in response to a 25-percent tariff introduced by U.S. President Donald Trump.

All affected cars will be withheld from distribution to dealers for the time being, the German newspaper Handelsblatt reported on Monday.

A company spokesperson indicated that Audi has approximately 37,000 vehicles already in U.S. inventory, unaffected by the new duties, which are expected to cover roughly two months of demand in the U.S. market.

The brand sent a memo to dealers, first reported on by U.S. trade publication Automotive News, saying it would freeze shipments from April 2 until further notice, a spokesperson said.

In addition, Audi's parent company Volkswagen AG plans to add import fees to the sticker prices of its vehicles shipped into the United States.

In the 2024 fiscal year, the Audi Group delivered approximately 1.7 million vehicles, including over 164,000 fully electric models. These figures represent declines of nearly 12 percent and 8 percent, respectively, compared to the previous year. 

Industry-wide response to U.S. tariffs

Audi is among several automakers adjusting strategies in light of the new U.S. tariffs. 

The British manufacturer of the Jaguar and Land Rover cars JLR is halting deliveries to the U.S. in response to the tariffs. The company in a statement said that the "short-term actions" including the shipment pause would take place in April. JLR exports approximately 100,000 vehicles annually to the United States, which accounts for about a quarter of its total global sales.

JLR's statement came after a production halt by the Chrysler and Jeep maker Stellantis. The company announced it is temporarily halting production at a plant in Canada and a plant in Mexico shortly after the tariff announcement on April 4. The move will result in the temporary layoff of 900 U.S. employees. 

Ferrari is raising prices by 10 percent on certain models after April 1 in response to new U.S. auto tariffs, adding up to $50,000 to the price of a typical Ferrari.

(With input from agencies)