The Hindu Business Line : Audi plans to set up manufacturing plant in India

NEW LAUNCH: Mr Andre Konsbruck, Executive Director-Overseas Region, Audi, with Ms Sandra Berger, Product Manager, during the launch of the Audi Q7 Sports Utility Vehicle in the Capital on Friday. - Kamal Narang

New Delhi , Sept. 15

Carmaker Audi is considering the possibility of setting up a manufacturing plant in India.

The company is also planning to add five more dealers in the country in the next two years taking the number to eight. It currently has dealers in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.

"We are exploring the possibility of local manufacturing in India. But that will happen with the growth of the market for our cars," said Mr Andre Konsbruck, Executive Director-Overseas Region, Audi. He declined to give further details on the manufacturing plant, only mentioning that it will happen on the company achieving "optimal sales volume".

The company is targeting sales of 300 cars in the current year and 600 cars in 2007.

Sports-utility vehicle

The company on Friday launched its sports-utility vehicle `Q7' with diesel and petrol variants of the engine. The 4.2-litre petrol version comes with eight cylinders and produces 350 bhp with a maximum torque of 440 nm.

The diesel version comes with six cylinders and produces 233 bhp with a maximum torque of 500 nm.

The diesel variant is priced at Rs 61 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), while the petrol version is priced at Rs 77.5 lakh.

"We have received pre-orders. We are confident that we will sell at least 50 of them in 2006," said Mr Rahil Ansari, Country Manager-India, speaking about Q7.

The company already has its A4, A6 and A8 models in India. It is also planning to bring its RS4 and the S8 models into the Indian market in the future.

"We feel that the market for luxury cars in India will expand in the coming years and thus it is an opportunity for us to bring in models here," said Mr Konsbruck.

Globally, the auto manufacturer witnessed record sales in 40 countries last year.

It plans to invest 9 billion over the next few years worldwide.

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