Audi begins production in India

Pune: Audi India has commenced production of the Audi A6 at Aurangabad and expects to manufacture 300-400 units of the luxury midsize sedan, intended exclusively for the Indian market, by the end of 2008. It also plans to launch assembly of the Audi A4 later this year.

In a statement, Mr Rupert Stadler, Chairman, Board of Management, Audi AG said, “Starting our own production there is the best way to adequately serve such a promising growth market like India”. He added that “India is one of the components of our Strategy 2015, which aims to achieve sales of 1.5 million automobiles per year worldwide. We want to be the most successful premium brand in India as well”.

Investments

The carmaker has invested €10 million to set up an exclusive assembly line on the premises of the group production facility of Skoda Auto India Pvt Ltd at Aurangabad for production of the Audi A6. By 2015, it will invest another €20 million and is targeting rolling out 7,000 units of the A6 and the A4 off the line, said Ms Bettina Bernhardt, General Manager, Press Relations, Audi India.

There are currently 35 employees working in Aurangabad on the Audi production line, in quality assurance and in logistics. They received intensive training for their jobs at the Audi plant in Neckarsulm. The company has a 20-member sales and marketing team which will be enhanced to around 50 people by the year-end, she added.

To coincide with the start of local assembly, Audi adjusted prices for the Audi A6 ranging from Rs 1,40,000 to Rs 2,10,000. Audi also imports models such as the Audi A4, Audi A8, Audi Q7 and Audi TT.