Audi, the luxury vehicle line and automaker of the popular Q5 SUV, has dropped Fresno.
That’s according to C.J. Wilson, the previous owner of the now permanently closed Audi-Fresno dealership.
“A monster loss for us,” Wilson said. “They terminated the store.”
While it wasn’t exactly clear why a luxury line would completely abandon the Fresno market, Audi vehicle sales have dipped throughout the nation. Audi global car sales from 2024 were down 14%.
Sluggish sales were no different in Fresno, especially compared to Wilson’s other two luxury car dealerships in Porsche and BMW.
But when Wilson made efforts to sell the local Audi dealership and found a buyer, Audi nixed the sale, he said, a move that ultimately forced the local Audi operation to shut down.
“For a few years, they put a restriction that I was not allowed to sell,” Wilson said. “I was not allowed to use a broker. They want to take the store out. Through lawyers, I reached an agreement to sell it. But the restriction was that if I presented someone, and they didn’t approve, I lost the store.
“I was only allowed a few weeks to find a buyer and complete a sale. I presented a qualified buyer. They rejected the deal. Store gone.”
C.J. Wilson, a former major league baseball player who moved to Fresno to run three luxury auto dealerships, is moving his business to Clovis.
The loss of an Audi dealership has meant no new Audi vehicles are available for purchase locally.
There are a limited number of used Audi vehicles still for sale in the Fresno area, including at Wilson’s Porsche Fresno dealership.
But Wilson also admits: “It was tough to sell Audis, and impossible to sell electric Audis.”
Consumers who are likely most impacted are folks who bought or leased an Audi in recent years, and their vehicles remain under warranty or with an extended service plan (on average costs $3,000).
Such owners are now forced to drive 100-plus miles to the nearest Audi dealerships, either in Modesto or Bakersfield, for service needs covered under Audi’s warranty and programs.
Steven Diebert, who’s owned Audi vehicles for the past 40 years, bought a new Audi A5 in September.
He said he loves the vehicle, enjoyed the buying process at Audi Fresno, but already is suffering buyer’s remorse.
He said he was notified on Nov. 14 via email that the Audi Fresno dealership shut down and the Porsche dealership, which shared the same facility as Audi Fresno, would not be servicing Audi vehicles.
“This is a true disservice,” Diebert said. “I can tell you for sure that I would not have bought that car had I known there was even a chance there would not be a local Audi dealership one-and-a-half months later.
“You’re expecting people to find time to drive 100 miles one way, wait for their vehicle to be serviced — and who knows how long those things take — then drive another 100 miles back home, and it’s not supposed to be that big of a deal?”
Multiple messages left with Audi America were not returned.
Part of a statement on the Audi Fresno dealership website reads: “Audi Fresno has permanently closed, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. Audi is committed to representation in the Fresno market and is actively working to reestablish a dealership in Fresno.”
Wilson’s plans of moving his vehicle dealerships currently located in Fresno to a 15-acre area in Clovis near Herndon and Clovis avenues remains on track, the former Major League Baseball player said.
Ground broke in May with an initial plan of building three facilities to house a larger car dealership with a more luxurious showroom each for BMW, Porsche and Audi.
The facility that was initially intended for Audi now will be repurposed into a variety of retail and food services, Wilson said. What retail tenants move in remains in the works.
Meanwhile, Wilson said his dealerships will be increasing their BMW and Porsche inventory.
“Those brands are incredible brands and will continue on,” Wilson said. “We know Porsche and BMW can provide cars to our clients that reward their success and passion at a level of luxury they expect. Our job as a local business is to ensure that our clients are the most satisfied drivers in town.”
It was unclear how many of Wilson’s dealership employees were impacted by the Audi closure, though he said he gave them advanced notice of the shutdown possibility. Some moved into roles with BMW, he said.
“The car business,” Wilson said, “is not easy.”