German luxury carmaker Audi is planning to expand its operations in India by adding a new assembly line at its plant in Aurangabad. At the new line the company’s premium SUV Q7 will be assembled along with the crossover Q3 which may get a midyear launch in 2012. Commenting on the addition of an additional assembly line, Mr. Michael Perschke Head Audi India stated that it will enable the company to assemble two more car models and fulfill its requirements till 2014-15. The existing funds of the company will be put to use instead of fresh investment.
With additional assembling capacity, Audi plans to take on Mercedes-Benz and BMW, its competitors in the luxury car segment. Moreover, it plans to launch eight new car models to strengthen its portfolio in India and targets a growth of 50 percent in 2012. With every new launch, the company will enter new segments in the Indian auto industry, added Mr. Perschke.
At its current capacity, Audi’s facility at Aurangabad has an output of about 6,000-6,500 units annually.