The cars were made between April 2011 and April 2012, and "in rare cases customers may notice a smell of fuel in affected vehicles," Audi said in an e-mailed statement.

China is Audi's biggest market. But on Tuesday official data showed the world's second-largest economy grew at its slowest pace in 24 years in 2014, even as luxury sales have been hamstrung by a crackdown on official corruption and lavish spending.

China's official Xinhua news agency, citing the country's quality watchdog, reported that Volkswagen's local joint venture, China FAW-Volkswagen Automotive Co Ltd, will begin the recall on March 20, affecting various Audi A4, A5, A6, A7 and Q7 models.

(Reporting by Paul Carsten, editing by William Hardy)