Test mules of Audi A3 spotted in Mumbai, Indian launch expected soon

It seems as if luxury car makers in India have decided to go on a rampage by introducing a number of new models. German car makers, Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, are the firms leading the charge and have been in the news for quite some time now. In a recent development, images of the Audi A3 sedan were leaked on the Internet, giving rise to strong speculations that it might be launched soon. The German car maker has already introduced a few models in 2013 and according to reports, hopes to continue the same.

Analysts have tried to fathom the kind of styling that might be used in the Audi A3 by looking at the images. One of the most noteworthy aspects about the images was the absence of the LED elements in the tail lamps and daytime running lights, which are signature features of an Audi vehicle. Industry experts feel that this might imply that the car maker will be adopting an aggressive pricing strategy for the A3 sedan. If reports are to be believed, the A3 will be priced below the A4. Apart from this, it is being said that the company will bring the A3 to India as a Completely Knocked Down (CKD) unit, which is likely to be assembled at the Aurangabad production facility. However, nothing has been confirmed by the company and everything is based on pure speculation.

The Audi A3 sedan is based on the Modularer Querbaukasten (MQB) platform, which can be translated into English as Modular Transverse Matrix. This platform, owned by the Volkswagen group, has received a lot of acclaim from critics across the world. The MQB platform makes the use of a component of matrix, which are used to produce vehicles that are safe, fuel efficient and have reduced emissions. This platform has also been used in other vehicles produced by the Volkswagen Group, which includes the recently unveiled third generation Skoda Octavia. Rumours suggest that Audi will introduce three variants of the A3 sedan, two expected to be powered by petrol engines and one by a diesel unit. The petrol variants will be fitted with 1.8-litre and 2.0-litre engines. On the other hand, the diesel version is expected to be powered by a 2.0-litre drivetrain, capable of producing around 150 bhp.

Analysts have spotted a clear trend in the strategies of companies like Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW. The condition of the Indian car market is unfavourable as there is a slowdown in demand, which has hampered their profit margins. Along with this, the financial crisis in the economy has caused widespread price rise, thereby raising the cost pressure. This has given the rise to a trend wherein luxury car makers introducing low cost vehicles. Mercedes-Benz has already introduced the B-Class and A-Class premium hatchbacks whereas BMW is gearing up for the launch of its 1 Series.