Come early 2012, Audi India will usher in the Audi Q3 Crossover, their challenger to the hot selling BMW X1 and so said, Mr Peter Schwarzenbauer, the board member of Audi AG, at the Audi Lounge in LeMans to the assembled audience of Indian motoring journos even as Audi clinched the LeMans 24 Hours race, ahead of a quartet of marauding Peugeot Diesel LeMans sportscars.
Along with the announcement, a few more details about the India bound Audi Q3 were revealed which makes for some interesting news. The Audi Q3 will be priced higher than the BMW X1 by around 2 Lakh Rupees. Now, this could be because Audi India hasn’t yet changed it’s engine and transmission assembly to suit the 10% CKD duty with the 30% duty still being applied due to Audi not assembling engines and gearboxes in India.
So, that could be the prime reason for the higher cost of the Q3, which we think should be lesser than the X1, if Audi really is serious about making a dent on the X1′s sales. The Audi Q3 Crossover will be assembled at Auranagabad from CKD kits and will be priced at about 24 Lakh rupees for the base variant. Both petrol and diesel engine options will be available with both the Quattro as well as the fuel and cost saving option of front wheel drive being made available for the Indian market.
This said, the 140 Bhp, 2 liter TDI Diesel engine could be the lowest entry level variant with the front wheel drive system as this is the engine Audi will use globally for all front wheel drive Q3s. So, Audi India seems to be doing it’s best to offer the Q3 at a competitive price to give a tough fight to the BMW X1. Whether it is successful in what it intends to do is something only time will tell. Meanwhile, get set for the Q3 to blaze new trails in India come 2012.
CLICK HERE to see price, images & launch date of Audi Q3 Crossover
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