The Audi Q7 - Now, locally assembled

[GTO]

Audi has started local production of the Q7 and plans to build ~90 copies each month at Aurangabad.

The Q7 will be produced in a newly constructed 200,000 sq ft hall at the Skoda plant. Local production of the Q3 will also start in 2013.

This will lead to reduced delivery periods and a wider range of variants.

The Budget 2012 (link (The 2012 Budget & the Indian Car Scene : All you need to know)) had delivered a body blow to CBUs. Luxury car manufacturers were hit badly and most devised plans immediately to locally assemble their best-selling CBU products.

[Sahil]

Great news ! Would save considerably on the RTO tax which for CBU's is a lot higher.

Besides that I hope Audi has been ethical enough to pass some of the savings to the customer, any idea what the new pricing is?

Also, would the 4.2TDi be available as CKD?

[lurker]

so they can wax it, & polish it. But can they repair it ?

[a4anurag]

Finally Audi has started to assemble its cars in India.

Hope they start to do so their rest of the line up like the A4, A6 and Q3.

This move will get the Ex-Showroom prices lower than the present making a larger customer base to cater.

Anurag.

[sarathlal]

I guess, bringing in Q3, local, will be the biggest thing for Audi. This will help the Q3 achieve the status it was built for, the cheapest among the Q series right into the 'affordable' range.

[Sahil]

Another point to add: Its impressive that Audi finds it feasible to locally assemble the Q7 here with just 90 units a month. Makes me wonder what are the break even units for a CKD to be feasible?
The 7 series too is now assembled here, I think those numbers might be even less than 90 units a month.

Will we ever see a day when the entire range of cars are CKD from launch itself? Less practical models such as the CLS, X6, 6 series GranCoupe, Z4, S6, etc could well find more buyers in India if prices are reduced and taxes are saved in regn of RTO too when compared to CBU v/s CBU

Point to be noted is that CKD does have it's drawbacks, the quality at time does slightly drop. Case in point, the CKD 7 series does not have the soft close doors!

[SkyWalker]

Originally Posted by Sahil

Another point to add: Its impressive that Audi finds it feasible to locally assemble the Q7 here with just 90 units a month. Makes me wonder what are the break even units for a CKD to be feasible?
The 7 series too is now assembled here, I think those numbers might be even less than 90 units a month.

More than break-even units, it could be break-even profits. I am guessing they would be making 3-4 times more margins from selling Qs & 7s compared to their smaller cars.

[Accius]

On a side note, I am just curious to know if they are thinking on the same terms of development and improvement of their after sales support. These companies are starting to assemble cars locally in order to get tax and custom duty benefits which in turn reduces the costs to buy the vehicle, but they aren't improving their AS* on the same level. This is just comfortably ignored it seems.

[sarathlal]

Will this plant get to build this?
Some reports say, the new Q7 is due in September this year.

[neo_trace]

Got 1st price of 2013 Audi Q7 Sline Prestige
Ex show room 58,50,000 3.0tdi
Onroad 64,32,000 in Surat. (No discounts for now)
Price drop is normal (- 8lacs) but package improved to Sline Prestige with Bose Sound system,21" rims and others...
No news on 4.2Tdi.

[Sahil]

3 versions have been launched: 2 are regular 7 seater configuration and the top of the line version is a 6 seater config which goes close to 70lakhs ex-show.