Audi India has had a busy six months, given the launches of the new A6 sedan, Q8 SUV and A8 L limousine. As things stand, this trio of new models will be the only Audis on sale in India for the next few months. The German carmaker sold all the BS4 stock of its existing models prior to the April 1 sales deadline and has clarified that the BS6 versions will only come with either a facelift, or a full model change.
Speaking to Autocar India, Balbir Singh Dhillon, Head of Audi India said, “With BS6 regulations, we have decided to revamp Audi’s entire product range in India. Therefore, all our upcoming products will either be brought to India for the first time or will be the next generation or facelift at the least; we shall be doing this in a phased manner.”
Aside from the A3 and Q3 that are due for a full-generation change, Audi has removed the A4, A5, Q5 and Q7 from its India website. Of the lot, the models likely to return the soonest are the Audi A4 and the Q7. The A4 had received a minor update last year in the form of the 'Quick Lift', but there’s a more significant facelift that will be launched in India in the coming months. Aside from styling tweaks, the model is set to get an upgraded infotainment system with a 10.1-inch touchscreen unit. The A4 is expected to continue with the 1.4-litre turbo-petrol engine option as before.
The Q7 facelift, on the other hand, adopts Audi’s bolder new styling language and promises to bring back the butch appeal the first-gen model was famous for. The updated Q7’s cabin will also get a makeover, adopting Audi’s new dual-touchscreen infotainment setup. Given Audi’s decision to give diesels a miss in India, it will be interesting to see the engines that will be offered for our market. The Q7 was last available in India with a 250hp, 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine.
The wait for the Q5, however, could be a long one, as the facelift hasn’t even been revealed globally, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic could further delay its return.
Along with these facelifts, Audi India is also set to bring in the next-gen Q3. Positioned as its entry-level SUV in India, the first-gen model was quite popular in our market, and the latest-gen Q3 should arrive just in time to take on the second-gen Mercedes-Benz GLA, which is also set to be launched later this year.
Before you ask, the next-gen Audi A3 sedan is still some time away. The A3 Sportback, the first model from the new A3 family, just made its debut abroad and the sedan body style has not been revealed yet.
All upcoming Audis for India will be launched as petrol-only models. However, in an interaction with Autocar India, Audi India head Balbir Singh had said that the carmaker “had not given up on diesels”.
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