Audi is More Interested in Adding Value to Indian Consumers and Car Dealers

Audi, the Germany luxury car maker slipped from its pole position in the domestic luxury market in 2014 to a third spot last year. Mercedes and BMW occupy the top two slots now. Rahil Ansari, Head of Audi India, tells that the company is undergoing an exercise to redefine its growth strategy and will aim at getting back to number one position.

You are completing the first year as Head of Audi in India. Can you sum up the year for the company here? We have a great positioning in the market as a young dynamic brand. There have been challenges such as GST last year.

Audi launched the new 2018 Q5 in the Indian market on Thursday at a price of Rs 53.23 lakh for ex-showroom. This is the second generation of the SUV which is also available in a higher variant priced at Rs 57.60 lakh for ex-showroom.

The new Audi Q5 is based on Volkswagens’ MLB Evo platform that supports most of the large SUVs of the group, including Audi Q7, Bentley Bentayga, the recently launched Lamborghini Urus, upcoming Porsche Cayenne among many others.

The new Q5 is wider and longer than its predecessor and gets a new face which looks suggestive of the larger Q7. The signature LED daytime running lights and the hexagonal grille have been kept intact with traditional Audi styling.

The rear end of the Q5 gets dynamic turn indicators with LED tail lamp. The company’s popular ‘Virtual Cockpit’ instrument cluster comes within the beast with a Bang & Olufsen infotainment system, along with an 8.3-inch floating infotainment screen at top of the centre console.