Audi expects sales in India to grow in double-digit this year

PTI, Jan 9, 2022, 8:00 PM IST

German luxury carmaker Audi expects sales in India to grow in double-digit this year amid concerns over the possible impact of the fresh surge in COVID-19 cases on business, according to a senior company official.

Audi India — which has lined up a ”few more products” this year, including the SUV Q7 next month — expects its sales to be driven by these new introductions, along with full availability of models that were launched last year.

”I’m pretty confident that we should be having a good double-digit growth provided that things are not spoiled because of the corona once again,” Audi India Head Balbir Singh Dhillon told PTI.

From Audi point of view, he said, ”We will continue to grow because if you see, last year, we have grown by 101 per cent”.

The company had launched the SUV Q5 in November, and delivery started in December. So, practically out of the 12 months it only had seen for one month, and then Audi is also on the verge of launching the new Q7, he added.

”With these two models on top of what we had last year available throughout the year, I am quite confident and positive about the growth in the current year as well,” Dhillon said.

On new product launch plans, he said, ”A few more products will be coming this year. So, this year is not going to be without new products. This year will also be quite a happening year for us (in terms of new launches)”.

Audi India had posted a two-fold jump in retail sales at 3,293 units in India in 2021. It had sold 1,639 units in 2020.

When asked about the impact of the fresh surge in COVID-19 cases and subsequent restrictions across states, he said, ”These definitely impact our business because customers are wary of travelling to our dealerships. So, no doubt these lockdowns do have a negative impact, but it is the first few days of this month. So, let’s see how it goes. At least, the year just went by was really good”.

As far as this year is concerned, he said, in general, the industry will grow for sure. ”What percentage (will it be) it is too early to say. I would say if we run past a couple of months, there is always a possibility to give a ballpark figure but it’s too early in the year to give a prediction because with Omicron coming in now, it puts us into a difficult situation”.