The Q5 is Audi’s new India mantra

With a successful 2012 sales year, German auto giant Audi will continue to drive its brand in India with new models and strategy. The company recently rolled out its updated version of Q5 SUV.

German auto manufacturer recently launched the new Audi Q5 SUV with new elements in design, infotainment, assistance systems and engines.

Its extroverted presence boasts of restyled Xenon plus headlights, new homogenous strip of LED daytime running lights and revised rear lights with a more graphic effect and a reduced appearance. The new Audi Q5 is available in India with a choice of highly-efficient and equally powerful engines 2.0 TDIq, 3.0 TDIq and 2.0 TFSIq. In the new Audi Q5, fuel economy has been improved by up to 15 per cent, despite increased power. The engines combine direct fuel injection with turbo charging.

According to Michael Perschke, Head, Audi India, “There are a host of design and mechanical changes that strongly accentuate the sporty and distinctive off road character of the Audi Q5." The sporty design of the new Q5, with its flat roof arch, now appears in a meticulously revised and sharpened form. The chrome items on the controls and single-frame grille with chamfering of the top corners with vertical chrome bars is appealing. The bonnet has a kinked design with more powerfully contoured lines. The trapezoidal design of front bumper gives a robust appearance.

The interior of the new Audi Q5 has been further refined. The new leather-covered multifunction steering wheel in four-spoke design—specific to the Audi Q model—is enchanting, along with many of its controls with chrome rings, and the inner fascia of the radio system/CD player and the air-conditioning that are styled in high-gloss black. The revised Q5 comes in two interior colours.

The new electromechanical power steering system represents another advancement in efficiency—in straight-line driving, the new Q5 no longer needs any energy for steering. Electronic Stabilization Control detects the composition of the road and adjusts its interventions accordingly.

The revised Q5 has also improvements in driver assistance systems. If it detects that the driver’s concentration is waning, it recommends a break from driving. In the infotainment area, MMI navigation plus is improved; it now includes voice control functionality.

The car is priced at `43,16,000 onwards (ex-showroom, New Delhi) and would compete in the market with the likes of BMW X3. However, it would be interesting to see how this segment evolves, as more and more players plan to bring in mid-sized SUVs to cater to the growing public demand.