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.

India production to go up by 50 pc next year: Audi

German luxury car-maker Audi on Friday said it will ramp up its output by 50 per cent in India to about 3,000 units next year, even as it gets ready to enter the used-car business by 2011.

The company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Audi India, is also considering the launch of luxury sedan A7 and will initiate a market study for the same.

"Seeing the demand that we are having for our products, I think that we will have to start the second shift at our plant. Our production from the plant will be exceeding 3,000 units next year," Audi India Head Michael Perschke said.

The company, which currently assembles luxury sedans A4, A6 and sports utility vehicle Q5 at its Aurangabad facility, expects to produce about 2,000 units this year, he added.

Perschke said the company will roll out a new variant of A6 next year from the facility. The plant has an installed production capacity of 6,000 units.

"We will also launch a completely new A8 and a 4.2 litre TDI version of Q7. These two cars will be imported," he added.

When asked if the company is planning to introduce any new model in India, Perschke said: "We are looking very seriously for the A7. We will do a market research and evaluate its demand in the country."

He, however, declined to give any timeframe for launching the vehicle in India.

He said the company expects to sell about 2,700 units this year compared to 1,658 units in 2009.

Asked if Audi India will start a used car business like its rivals, Mercedes-Benz and BMW, Perschke said: "Most probably from next year we will have the pre-owned car business. We already have it in Europe under 'Audi Plus' brand."

He said the company has not yet decided about the branding of the used-car business for India.

Audi India had earlier committed an investment of 30 million euros till 2015. It has already put in about 65 per cent of the amount.

"Every year we are exceeding our own expectations. If the market grows at this rate, then we see all reasons to revise our investment by 2012," Perschke said.

He said the luxury car market in India could cross the 12,000 units mark this year. With a target of about 2,700 units for this year, Audi's share would be about 25 per cent.

The company is also expanding its dealership network to about 20 by next year from the existing 14 outlets, he added.

Audi Q7 enters Indian SUV market!

The latest lady in town is SUV Audi Q7, which German premier car maker Audi announced on Thursday.

The sports vehicle will be available in Maharashtra in 11 colours and in three price range costing Rs 55.2 lakhs, Rs 53.4 lakh and Rs 29.9 lakh.

The car has all the latest ranging from features like voice control, so the driver can just call out the name of a song on the music system or a phone number from the cellphone.

It also has adaptable headlights that switch on or off according to the moves of the car, showing the path ahead. This seven seater luxurious car has a capacity of about 2,035 litres.

“Audi India achieved remarkable growth in the first eight months of 2009 by selling 1,128 cars (62 percent growth). With the launch of new Audi Q7, we expect to sell upwards of 1,500 cars,” said Audi India managing director Benoit Tiers.

Delhi, Gurgaon, Chandigarh, Ludhiana, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai,Kolkata and Kochi already has Audi dealers.

“We plan to expand to Jaipur, Lucknow, Nagpur and Coimbatore soon,” Tiers said. Now that’s what the car lovers fantasy comes true!

BMW, Audi race to take on Merc

The battle for the top spot in the country's top of the line luxury car segment is getting more intense and Mercedes Benz's near ten-year-old stranglehold in the market is under serious threat.

While BMW is the odds on favourite having already steered ahead in the first quarter of this fiscal, Audi has emerged as the dark horse in the fight. By the end of last fiscal (2008-09) in March, Mercedes Benz India held on to its leadership position selling 3,537 cars. But the signs of a change in the pecking order were there with BMW exceeding its own target and also selling more than 3,000 cars in the year.

"This market is already challenging and without doubt the competition is getting more and more intense," said Peter Kronschnabl, president BMW India. The three German companies are now racing against each other to expand their presence in the hinterland."Our involvement with tier II cities is growing at a fast pace and we are confident that these cities reflect the future growth pockets and offer good potential. We investing Rs 150 crore to expand to new cities as also to upgrade our existing network," said Dr Wilfried Aulbur, MD and CEO, Mercedes Benz India.

New Audi Q7 - NOW in INDIA

The luxury car maker Audi has launched the new Q7 in India. The New Audi Q7 is a full-size luxury crossover Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV).

The new Audi Q7 comes in three engine variants. There are two petrol engine options to select and one diesel engine option. The petrol engines are 3.6L FSI Quattro which can generate 280 bhp and the 4.2L FSI Quattro that churns out a power of 350 bhp.

The diesel engine is powered by a 3.0L TDI Quattro engine that can produce 240 bhp. Audi gives us a wide palate of eleven new colours to select: Ibis White, Teak Brown, Orca Black and Graphite Grey as well as the existing colors which include Deep Black, Bahia Beige, Cobalt Blue, Condor Grey, Ice Silver, Garnet Red and Lava Grey.

The new Audi Q7 is a sporty, comfortable, high-performance SUV. The SUV is designed to grab attention of the customers with its side view that commands attention. The low window area, the arched roof line and the tautly curved body surfaces presents a coupe-like silhouette and this design is truly mesmerizing.





New accents at the front and rear end appeal the eyes of the viewers. New single-frame radiator grill in high gloss black with vertical chrome bars adds robustness to the car in conjunction with new Xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights. The new Audi Q7 also comes with optional high-end headlight version that integrates not only a low beam, high beam, and turning and cornering lights, but for the first time also a special superhighway beam.

The new Audi Q7 SUV is endowed with adaptable headlights that switch on or off according to the movement of the car, showing the path ahead clearly. The restyled tailgate presents a more forceful contour. LEDs are standard equipment in the taillights. An aluminum exterior package adds further highlights to the styling. The S line exterior package is designed for sports-minded customers and is available as optional equipment.

The new Audi Q7 can boast of some new features like voice control that can enable the driver to operate a cell phone or music system by just uttering the phone number or the name of a song. The new Audi Q7 has comfortable seating for seven persons with ample legroom and luggage space of about 2,035 litres.

Audi is expecting to sell 1,700-1,800 units and a growth of 70 per cent by the end of this year. Audi India has achieved a growth of 62 per cent in 2009 by selling 1,128 cars so far.

The entire Audi model range, comprising the newly launched, Audi Q5 and the new Audi A6, the Audi A8, the Audi Q7, the Audi A4, the Audi TT and the super sports car Audi R8, are currently available at 12 dealerships across the country. The German luxury car behemoth is also planning to expand its dealership to 18 in two years in India.

Audi India is expecting to start assembling its Q5 SUV in India by March 2010. They will the assembling process at the Aurangabad plant. The company currently assembles its luxury sedans A4 and A6 at its Aurangabad plant.

The new Q7 is available in the showrooms from 3rd September 2009. The new Audi Q7 range starts at (ex-showroom Mumbai) Rs 53.4 Lakh for the 3.0 TDI Quattro, Rs 55.2 Lakh for the 3.6 FSI Quattro and Rs.29.9 Lakh for the 4.2 FSI Quattro.

BMW, Audi race to take on Merc

The battle for the top spot in the country's top of the line luxury car segment is getting more intense and Mercedes Benz's near ten-year-old stranglehold in the market is under serious threat.

While BMW is the odds on favourite having already steered ahead in the first quarter of this fiscal, Audi has emerged as the dark horse in the fight. By the end of last fiscal (2008-09) in March, Mercedes Benz India held on to its leadership position selling 3,537 cars. But the signs of a change in the pecking order were there with BMW exceeding its own target and also selling more than 3,000 cars in the year.

"This market is already challenging and without doubt the competition is getting more and more intense," said Peter Kronschnabl, president BMW India. The three German companies are now racing against each other to expand their presence in the hinterland."Our involvement with tier II cities is growing at a fast pace and we are confident that these cities reflect the future growth pockets and offer good potential. We investing Rs 150 crore to expand to new cities as also to upgrade our existing network," said Dr Wilfried Aulbur, MD and CEO, Mercedes Benz India.

Audi launches A6 in India

Audi has launched its executive car 'Audi A6' in India. The new car will be available from 4 May across the Audi dealers in India.

Priced at Rs 3.857 million (ex-showroom Mumbai), the A6 will be available in six colours namely, Aventurin Blue, Dakar Beige, Ice Silver, Oyster Grey Phantom Black and Ibis White.

The new design of the A6 ushers in stronger lines and a slightly sporty undertone with the elegance expected from a high-end sedan.

The new A6 will be available with the latest generation of engines from the Audi stable which include the 3.0 litre TFSI, 2.8 FSI, 3.0TDI, and 2.7TDI.

Says Audi India MD Benoit Tiers, “The Audi A6 is the most successful business sedan worldwide and one of our main contributors to our achievement in the Indian market.”

"India has been a significant growth-driver for Audi and will be the car market of the future. In 2009, Audi celebrates 100 years of the brand and the launch of the new Audi A6 is Audi's continued commitment to the Indian market to offer luxury cars," Tiers adds.