A paradigm shift is about to happen in the global luxury car market. Audi is all set to run four rings around Mercedes to become the second best (by sales) luxury car maker in the world. According to the latest statistics, Audi is leading Mercedes by 56,585 vehicles as of December 1st. If all goes well in December, Audi will surpass Mercedes for the first time in history.
Audi’s sales were boosted by the launch of two important models this year. First is the A6 sedan which borrowed a lot of tech from elder sister A8 thus making it an exceptional sedan in its category. But the real volume raker – Q3 finally clinched it for Audi. Our readers are well aware that they will get an exclusive glance at the Q3 come 2012 Delhi Auto Expo.
The top honors will be snapped up by BMW third year in a row with an astonishing 1,252,205 vehicles over Audi (1,193,110) and Mercedes (1,136,525).
So what is the implication of this story on Indian automotive sector?
Struggling to match up with the existing competition, Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche has called for war on the rivals BMW and Audi. In the recent years, Mercedes Benz has been constantly outsmarted by the fellow German rivals globally in terms of sales as well as product innovation.
If it’s product innovation, BMW certainly takes the cake. The company from Bavaria has managed to create a new segments and innovative products for itself. If it’s marketing and product design, Audi is more successful in these aspects. Where does that leave Mercedes?
Zetsche takes no shame in admitting that the rivals have zoomed passed Mercedes and something needs to be done – hard and fast. He wrote a letter to all Daimler employees motivating them to pull up their socks.
He writes: “Some of our competitors are now growing faster and more profitably than we are. Granted, those are just snapshots in time and should not be overestimated. After all, many of our best new products are yet to come.”
The BMW X1 killer is finally out of the bag. Unveiled at Shanghai Motor Show, the Audi Q3 is the first rival to the BMW X1. The BMW X1 opened up a whole new segment for the masses by pricing a premium brand within the reach of many commoners. This Audi intends to compete in this fast growing segment with their baby crossover.
The appetite for crossovers is increasing rapidly in Europe and even so in America. Rumor has it that BMW is working on two more crossovers while Mercedes Benz is interested in exploring the option of a low-cost FWD crossover on the MFA.
Do you dream of owing a BMW 7 series or a Rolls Royce Ghost every single day? Of course, you do. Well, then we have some really good news for you. The proposed India-EU FTA (free trade agreement) is actively seeking the removal of import duties on automotive products. If the agreement goes through, we can expect a drastic reduction in prices of imported luxury cars by as much as [ Read More ]
Entry posted on September 3, 2009 by
Shrawan Raja;
Read More on Audi
German luxury car maker Audi will start assembling its Q5 SUV in India by March 2010. The German company is expecting a big boost in sales as the vehicle’s price tag is expected to come down.
The company will use the Aurangabad facility where it assembles the A4 and A6 at present. A new line will be setup which would have an annual capacity of 500 Q5s per year.
Audi India Managing Director Benoit Tiers -
“We have already sold 1,128 units this year. If everything goes well, I hope and we have a good chance to sell 1,700-1,800 cars in 2009, which will be an increase of about 70 per cent.”
Entry posted on June 8, 2009 by
Dave;
Read More on Sideblog
BMW becomes the number one luxury car maker in India after overtaking rivals Mercedes Benz and Audi. In April-May 2009, BMW India sold 466 cars as compared to Mercedes’ 371 units and Audi’s 233 units.
Audi is celebrating its 100th b’day this year, and how could it not do it with panache considering the quantum of achievement and technological breakthroughs it has been credited with in the last century of motoring.
Audi displays this special SUV along with all the other iconic cars bearing the 4 rings at the Worthersee Tour in Reifnitz, Austria, from May 20-23, a special tour to celebrate Audi’s accolades.
The Audi Q5 launched in India happens on the first week of next month, so this news fits rather tightly on the front page of our blog.
The Q5 custom concept is expensive looking and hence carries modifications in every department-
special Daytona Grey paint
21-inch wheels
a wider track
lowered ride height
tuned 3.0l TFSi engine goes from 333 horsepower to 408 hp
0 to 100 km/hour in 4.4 seconds
top speed of 250 km/hour (155 mph)
click through for the interior modifications and image gallery
Audi India aims to sell 1,500 cars this fiscal and is looking on track. The company expects growth of 55% and will manufacture 1,000 cars this year from its newely constructed Aurangabad plant, which has a installed capacity of 3,000 cars a year.
