Audi planning biggest investment in company history

Audi is planning the biggest investment programme in the company's history, investing some 11.6 billion euros (about $15 billion) between 2011 and 2015 in new products and hiring around 1,200 experts to bolster electro-mobility and lightweight construction, the carmaker has announced.

Some two thirds of the investment - more than 9.5 billion euros - will be spent on new technologies such as electric and hybrid drive systems such as the Audi R8 e-tron electric sports car which the company plans on selling in late 2012, according to Axel Strotbek, board member of finance.

Several new models are planned for launch in 2011, including the new A6 and the Q5 hybrid, the first full hybrid from the carmaker. The Audi Q3, to be built in Martorell in Spain, will occupy the midsize premium SUV segment for the first time. Some 20 new models are scheduled for launch by the year 2014.

Some five billion euros will be invested at the company's main German production sites in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm.

'In addition to our foreign sites, the German sites will also profit greatly from the Audi brand's good worldwide prospects for growth, especially in China,' Strotbek said.

Panamera to Debut in India by October

Porsche’s newest in the car; the Porsche Panamera will be inaugurated in India during mid-October.

The Porsche Panamera is a luxury sedan that was exhibited in 13th Auto Shanghai on 19th April, 2009. It marks the first ever four-door premium luxury sports car from the esteemed German luxury carmaker.


This upcoming sedan from Porsche will come with a 4.8 litre V8 direct fuel injection engine. The dynamic Porsche Panamera 4S, boasts of a 4.8-litre V8 that can power 400 bhp. The engine is mated to Porsche’s seven-speed PDK Doppelkupplungsgetriebe for all four wheel drive.

This sedan can accelerate to 0-100 km in 5 seconds and can reach a top speed of 282km/h. The Panamera Turbo is available in a 4.8-litre V8 twin turbo that can give a power output of 500bhp with power transmitted again by Porsche’s seven-gear Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK).

The Panamera features avant-garde technologies, world-class engineering and fascinating design to seduce new customers. The low-sleek silhouette of the high-end sedan is mesmerizing. There are five new cutting-edge technologies that make their world debut in the Panamera.

Some of them are the start-stop system in conjunction with automatic transmission, air suspension with additional air volume available on demand in each spring and active aerodynamics with an adjustable, multi-dimensional, extendable rear spoiler on the Panamera Turbo.

The Porsche Panamera is likely to be priced between Rs 1.42 to Rs 2.02 crore (ex-showroom Delhi) which is inclusive of VAT and import duty. The sedan will be positioned against the BMW 7-series and Audi A8 in the Indian market.

Audi to drive in R8 at Rs 1.17 cr

German luxury car maker Audi will launch its sports car 'R8' in India this November, with a price tag of Rs 1.17 crore, even as the company gears up to clock an overall sales of around 1,000 cars in the country this year.

The sports luxury car will be an addition to the company's line of luxury sedans, including the A4, A6, A8, TT Coupe, and SUV Q7.

"The (R8) cost will be over crore...Rs 1.17 crore," Vice-President Marketing Audi (India) Martin Birkner said here.

Asked how many R8s Audi was planning to sell in India, he said the company has received orders for 15 units already, which would be delivered this year.

Bullish on the fast growing luxury-car market in India, Audi has already posted a 200 per cent growth this year from that of last year.

"The whole segment is growing and we are growing even faster than the segment. We will sell this year about 1,000 cars in India," he said, adding 350 units were sold last year.

Birkner said Audi's A4, which it has started assembling in India, has a major contribution to the speedy growth and added, "we will try to get more production to India to meet the demand for this product." The company had, earlier, said it planned to produce 11,000 units of A4 by 2015 in India.

Kochi emerges as the potential market for Audi India

The Indian arm of the German luxury carmaker Audi AG has announced the appointment of five new dealerships at Ludhiana, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Kochi and Kolkata, thus scaling up its dealership network to 12 locations across the country. The showrooms will have separate modern Audi workshop to service all Audi models. It has been learnt from company sources that Kochi, one of the principal cities of Kerala, will emerge as the potential market for luxury car segment as a number of premium carmakers are setting up their dealerships in the city. Audi India had appointed Patel Cars as its dealer in Kochi.

According to an Audi press release, the Kochi showroom coming up at Maradu, near the NH bye-pass will have separate modern Audi workshop to service all Audi models. The release has also stated that the showroom will be designed to give customers a complete Audi experience - the whole Audi model range with different equipments and the Audi world with the international standards of Audi Corporate Identity.

In addition to the five newly appointed dealers, the Audi model range of Audi A8, Audi Q7, Audi A6, Audi A4 and Audi TT is available at present in seven dealership showrooms across the country in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chandigarh and Gurgaon.

Audi appoints five new dealerships in India

Audi, the German luxury car manufacturer, announced on Friday the appointment of five new dealerships at Ludhiana, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Kochi and Kolkata expanding its dealership network to 12 locations across the country.

"Audi has received an overwhelming response in India. Our sales growth in first eight months of this year has been over 190 per cent. The announcement of the new dealerships is the commitment to a great future for the brand in India", says Benoit Tiers, Managing Director of Audi India. He added, "We are expanding to 12 exclusive and luxurious Audi dealerships in India. This will give customers the possibility to experience our models, the Audi world and premium service."

Audi Ahmedabad (Nixynova Motoren), Audi Chennai (Jubilant Enpro), Audi Kochi (Patel Cars), Audi Kolkata (Imperial Auto) and Audi Ludhiana (Olympus Motors) dealerships will be among the largest luxury car showrooms in their cities. The showrooms will have separate modern Audi workshop to service all Audi models. However, the dealerships have already started operating from their sales offices.

"In addition to the five newly appointed dealers, the Audi model range of Audi A8, Audi Q7, Audi A6, Audi A4 and Audi TT is available at present in seven dealership showrooms across the country: in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chandigarh and Gurgaon," Tiers mentioned.