Audi embarks on 2.0, eyes to double market share in three years in India

German luxury car maker Audi is embarking on its 2.0 in India to regain lost ground and double its market share from the current 8% in the segment in three years.“We are heading towards a very, very exciting time for the coming years. We are bringing one of the strongest product offensives. We would want to double our market share, which is about 8%, in the next three years,” said Balbir Singh Dhillon, Brand Director, Audi India, in an interview.He said this will be done on the basis of three pillars of strength: the products, the network, and customer experience.The company, which launched only one product since the beginning of this year, has lined up three new products.These include the all-new Q3 SUV scheduled to be launched on October 16, which will be followed by the next generation Audi A5, which will come in the first half of next year. And the third car would be the Audi Q9 SUV, the biggest SUV the company has ever made. “So, these are three products, more to follow,” Mr Dhillon said.He said the company is expanding its network from 29 showrooms to 40 by the end of next year and 50 by the end of 2030.“The idea is to reach closer to the customers. We are also renovating all our showrooms,” he said.“For our customers we want to give them the best experience. So all our processes, all our physical experience that customers will have in our showrooms will also be enhanced,” he added.Talking about the past, though the volumes had reduced in the recent years, he said the company managed to build a solid connection with its customers over the last five years.“So, every third car that we sell today in India is being sold to our existing customer. So that’s the kind of loyalty that as a brand we enjoy with our customers,” he said.The company’s Audi Approved pre-owned cars business has also got traction with over 20,000 pre-owned cars sold cumulatively.“Last year we sold about 4,510 cars, new cars. But for every new car that we sold, we also sold one pre-owned car. So actually, we sold about 9,000 pre-owned and new cars put together. So that is a strength that we’ve built over the last five years,” he emphasised.The company is also working to introduce a new electric car, but the model and timing are yet to be finalised.Stating that slowly electrification is improving, he said in the luxury car segment electrification was 10% [of the total units sold] last year, and this year it has increased to 15%.“Diesel is 25%, and the balance, 60%, is petrol. So, electrification is definitely improving. Diesel is slowly coming down. Diesel used to be 80%; it is now 25% already. Petrol is taking the balance shape. So, I think this is a mix and match which is happening in the industry,” he said.The company which sold about 4,510 units last year is looking to have the same volume this year.“We are towards the end of the life cycle for some models, and we are replacing them with the new ones. So, for us, it will be more or less a flat year,” Mr. Dhillon said.Answering a question on the overall luxury car market in India, he said, the industry sold about 52,000 units last year, and this year the number may grow to 55,000 to 56,000 units. “It still is about 1.25% of the overall passenger vehicle market. So, it’s still very tiny. I think the more players will come, and they will help expand the market.Because competition always helps to increase the footprint,” he stated.“For the first time, we are seeing that the luxury segment is growing slower than the volume segment. This year, the volume segment is [growing] almost 20%. And the luxury is [growing] at 10%. This has never happened before. It is unprecedented. It is also an impact of the GST reduction last year,” he stated.“For us, on an average, the currency depreciation used to be between 3 and 4% till 2024. Last year was 19%. Rupee depreciation this year is already 5-6%. So, this straightaway gets into pricing. So, we have to take multiple price increases,” he said.“So whatever impact of GST reduction has got eaten away because of this. So, this has been some challenge,” he added.He said the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will help in bringing down prices.