ALSO READ: Mercedes preserves the top area in high-end vehicle sector for 5th year in a row The 3 huge German brand names – Mercedes, BMW and Audi – suffered heavy declines last year. Mercedes, the country’s biggest luxury carmaker, saw its sales skid by 11.3 percent, the steepest ever in a year in well over a years. BMW managed to sell about 9,641 systems in 2019, a 13.2 percent decrease over 11,105 units of 2018 while Audi registered its 3rd consecutive yearly decrease as sales crashed 29 percent at 4,594 units in 2019. For the Volkswagen group’s Ingolstadt-based high-end carmaker, this was a significant climbdown from its efficiency in India between 2012-15 when it had actually emerged as the leader of the pack and was the very first to leading sales of 10,000 units in a year. Dhillon said Audi has set in movement a new growth plan under method 2025 created to apprehend the decrease in sales and break new ground with consumers in India. “We have actually set out really clear objectives for ourselves in the next couple of years under Strategy 2025. 2020 is an exceptionally important year for us as we introduce our new BSVI item portfolio. The Q8 becomes part of our strategy to strengthen Audi’s presence in the nation under the objectives of Strategy 2025. C and D segments are crucial focus locations for us in defining this method. The Q8 will help us get a stronger hold in the D segment market and will be our brand shaper in the days to come.” READ: Audi to cut up to 9,500 tasks in 6 years to money shift to electric lorries
A mix of a four-door high-end coupe and a versatile SUV, the Q8 is smaller sized, narrower and much shorter than the more budget-friendly Q7. It is also a 5-seater, unlike the Q7, which seats 7. Offered just with a 3-litre fuel engine that generates 340hp and 500Nm of torque propelling the automobile from 0-100kmph in 5.9 seconds, it also gets a 48V mild hybrid innovation. It is being imported as an entirely developed system (CBU) from Germany and Audi said only 200 units will be on offer for India this year. “With the launch of the Audi Q8, we are targeting people who want their car to match their personality. Each Audi Q8 will be made-to-order, available with a variety of customisation choices to select from; we want every Q8 in the country to look different, from the outdoors and the inside,” stated Balbir Singh Dhillon, Head of Audi India. “We are entering a brand-new sector with the Q8 but the guiding concepts stay the exact same – vibrant design, cutting edge technology and amazing performance. The 3.0 L TFSI engine with 48V mild-hybrid innovation, progressive steering and air suspension make every drive in the Q8 memorable.” The downturn in the general Indian economy in general with GDP growth projections moving to just 5 per cent for 2019-20, and in the domestic passenger car market in particular where sales have decreased in double digits this fiscal up until now, has impacted the luxury cars and truck sector too. Market volumes are estimated to have actually declined by over 13 per cent, the steepest ever in a year and for the very first time because 2016 when sales had decreased by nearly 8 percent. Volumes have remained range bound in the 35,000-40,000 system per year band because 2015 and is substantially lower than earlier forecasts of about 100,000 systems by 2020. Each Audi Q8 will be made-to-order, readily available with a variety of customisation alternatives to choose from; we desire every Q8 in the nation to look different, from the outdoors and the inside,” said Balbir Singh Dhillon, Head of Audi India. Market volumes are approximated to have decreased by over 13 per cent, the steepest ever in a year and for the very first time considering that 2016 when sales had decreased by almost 8 per cent. The 3 big German brand names – Mercedes, BMW and Audi – suffered heavy decreases last year. BMW handled to sell about 9,641 units in 2019, a 13.2 per cent decrease over 11,105 units of 2018 while Audi registered its 3rd successive yearly decline as sales crashed 29 per cent at 4,594 units in 2019.