Audi has started production of the Q3 compact SUV at its Aurangabad plant. This the fifth model after the Audi A4, Audi A6, Audi Q5 and Audi Q7, the Audi Q3 to be assembled in India by the Ingolstadt carmaker. It also means that the entire Q range is now locally assembled locally.
The Audi Q3 will be produced in the newly constructed hall at the group plant Skoda Auto India Private Limited (SAIPL) in Aurangabad, which covers a floor area of 20,000 square meters (215,278 square feet). The Audi Q7 is also produced in the same hall.
Commenting on the commencement local assembly of the Audi Q3, said Joe King, Head of Audi India, said “Local production of the Audi Q3 means that Audi India is now building all our Q range models locally. This will reduce waiting times for our customers and will enable us to offer a wider range of versions in the market. This move demonstrates our confidence in the success of our Q range, which has positioned itself as a leader not only in the product category, but has emerged as a lifestyle statement. We are confident that we will continue to retain our dominance in the luxury SUV segment in India.”
The German automaker has also revealed that increasing demand from Indian customers for the Audi Q3, Audi Q5 and Audi Q7 SUV models has had a major impact on the brand’s growth in India: Over the first eight months of this year, the company increased its sales in the Indian market by 19 per cent to 6426 vehicles (January – August 2012: 5406).
The local assembly of the Audi Q3 mean that its prices of its variants are likely to reduce and give it a better chance to compete with its rivals.