Audi India to start making the Q3 range in India this calendar year

At present, the firm imports these cars as fully built-up units that attract 110% duty; local manufacturing would help reduce wait periods and boost sales

Audi India, which launched the Q3 Sportback in India on Monday, aims to start making the Q3 range of cars in India from the third quarter of this calendar year.

Speaking to Business Standard, Audi India head Balbir Singh Dhillon said that at present the company is importing the Q3 range (Premium Plus, Technology and Sportback Technology) as fully built-up units that attract a 110 per cent duty. However, from the third quarter, the German luxury carmaker is eyeing to make these cars in India along with the Audi Q5, A6, A4, Q7. "Currently, around 75-80 per cent of the cars that we sell in India are manufactured here. Once we start making the Q3 range too, we will be making almost 85-90 per cent of the cars sold here locally," Dhillon said.

Local manufacturing would help reduce wait periods and boost sales. For example, the Q3 range launched last year, started deliveries only this January. The range is priced at Rs 44.8-51 lakh (for the Q3 Sportback).

Dhillon clarified that local manufacturing would not bring down the prices. "We had plans to make this range in India, so we had factored that into the pricing already," he added.

Meanwhile, Dhillon said Audi also expects its pre-owned car business to do well, and clock high double-digit growth in 2023. The Audi Approved business had clocked 62 per cent growth in 2022, selling 2,126 units. Audi had sold 4,187 new cars during 2022, posting 27 per cent YoY growth. Dhillon said the firm has expanded its pre-owned car network during the past three years to 22 showrooms now, from seven earlier.

"Hardly any new Audi car in the market is priced below Rs 50 lakh. In contrast, the pre-owned range can start from Rs 25-30 lakh depending on the number of months used, condition of the car etc. Thus, this segment is witnessing a lot of young and first time buyers," he added.