Auto Expo 2012 Audi Q3
Audi India unveiled their India bound Audi Q3 at the 2012 Auto Expo. The Q3 is billed to be the cheapest car that Audi will have for India, on the same lines of BMW X1.
The Q3 was built by Audi as a remedy to the declining sales of large SUVs world-wide during the recession. It was launched in 2011 in the global market; however Audi unveiled it in India at the Auto Expo. The Audi Q3 in its overall sweep of lines and form resembles the Q5 and Q7. However, there is a sharp edge to the design. A look which Audi is adopting on all its models, the inverted hexagonal grille, once called as Audi goatee, lends a special look to the Q3. The Q3 overall mimics its bigger brothers, the Q7 and Q5; however it looks more youthful than the other two.
Audi will be bringing in the Q3 with both front wheel and all wheel drive configurations. While engines are speculative, we think that Audi will bring in a 2.0-litre TFSI direct-injection petrol engine making 211PS of power and 300Nm of torque. The other obvious choice is the 2.0-litre TDI which is also under the hood of various other Audi cars in India â€" A4, A6 and in the Q5. In the Q3 it will produce 176PS of power and 380Nm of torque. Both the engines will be mated to Audi's S-Tronic twin clutch 7 speed automatic gearbox. Chances are that Audi will also bring in a 6-speed manual.
The Q3's direct competitor will be the BMW X1. While we will reserve our comments on which one is the better automobile, as of now, Audi definitely have a strong contender on their hands. What remains to be seen is how Audi prices the Q3. The BMW X1 starts at Rs 22 lakh and Rs 23 lakh, ex-showroom Delhi for the petrol and the diesel variants respectively. If Audi manages to price the Q3 as competitively compared to the X1's price then we will have a full fledged war on our hands. One that we will be only eager to bring to you.