German car maker Audi is gearing up to launch the low cost variant of the Q3 Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) on 19th of August, 2013. There has been a lot of hype and speculation around the introduction of Q3 S in the Indian auto market. Industry experts have spotted a trend in the strategies of luxury car makers like Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW. Current market conditions in India are non-favourable for these firms to maintain their profit margins due the slowdown in demand and the reluctance of buyers to go for high priced vehicles. As a result of this, firms have decided to introduce cars that target price sensitive buyers of the Indian car market. Audi's fierce rival, Mercedes-Benz, has already launched the likes of A-Class and B-Class. Another competitor, BMW, is also gearing up to introduce the 1 Series premium hatchback by September 2013.
In order to lower the price of the Q3 S, Audi has decided to give a number of features in the car a miss. The Quattro drive system, a technology developed by Audi, is not going to be present in the Q3 S, making it a front-wheel drive car. Apart from this, trademark Audi daytime running LED lamps are also not going to be there in this SUV. However, the Q3 S will come with standard features like climate control, voice dialogue system, MMI with Bluetooth connectivity and leather seats. Rumours have suggested that the Audi Q3 S will be brought to India as a Complete Knocked Down (CKD) unit, following which it is likely to be assembled at the firm's Aurangabad facility.
The low cost variant of Q3 is expected to be powered by a 2.0-litre diesel powertrain, which will generate maximum power of around 140 bhp. This diesel engine will be mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox, which will transmit the power to its front wheels. No official announcement has been made regarding the price of Q3 S by the firm. However, analysts feel that the car will cost around Rs. 25 lakh (ex-showroom). The aggressive pricing strategy of brand with four rings is likely to attract price sensitive Indian buyers, who would want to own a luxury vehicle.
Audi has also decided to adopt an aggressive promotional strategy for the launch of Q3 S in India. According to a promotional campaign started by the German car maker, a few lucky contestants will get the chance to attend the launch of the Q3 S. In this contest, participants would be required to predict the price of Audi Q3 S, the advertisement released by the company said. Winners of this contest will get a fully paid trip to the event and five other participants will get Audi merchandise.
A recent report had suggested that despite the slowdown, some luxury car makers have been experiencing growth in the Indian market. Mercedes-Benz, in particular, has performed quite well in recent times with the launch of its cars like A-Class, B-Class and GL-Class SUV. Also, the introduction of the Q3 S is likely to stiffen the competition between these car makers.
