Audi Q3 2012 News

China is clearly on top of the car world in 2011.

The German brand's upcoming rival to the BMW X1, and the latest newcomer in its explosion of new models, is caught this week by Carparazzi during winter testing.The Audi Q3 is heavily camouflaged but obvious details include the basic outline of the five-door SUV body, distinctive headlamps and a prominent grille. The sloping roofline is another signature for the Q3 and mimics the shape of the Cross Coupe Quattro Concept from the 2007 Shanghai Motor Show.The basic mechanical package for the Q3 comes from Volkswagen's successful Tiguan, which has been a huge winner for the brand around the world including Australia. Apart from styling, the Q3 will differ from the Tiguan - as the Audi A1 is differentiated from the Volkswagen Polo - with a sportier driver and much more youth-focussed final finishing.Drivelines are expected to include the usual VW Group packages, with 2-litre petrol and turbodiesel motors matched to five and six-speed gearboxes and quattro all-wheel drive.Carparazzi suggests the first official sighting will be at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, before production begins at the Seat factory in Martorell, Spain towards the end of this year.

Last year was the company's best ever year in global terms, with sales up 15 per cent to 1.09 million vehicles, the books in the black and a target of 1.2 million for this year.The brand's Australian arm also scored it's best-ever result - 12,900 cars last year, a 14 per cent increase thanks in no small part to seven new variants.  So far this year the brand is on target for it's volume aims, but Audi Australia managing director Uwe Hagen is determined to do more than watch the numbers."The cars need to be desirable as part of a premium brand, getting smiles from those on the side of the road.  It's not just about volume in the A7, if we get the right people into this car - in sales, you get the captain, you get the soldiers," he says.The Audi Australia product catalgue will have the 4.2-litre turbodiesel engine as well as a long-wheelbase model for the new A8 range, as well as the new A6 and the Q3 mini-SUV next year.Mr Hagen says it's a 9.5 billion Euro investment over the next five years in new product, done with the backing of the VW group - something for which he does not apologise."Volkswagen is a group of 7.2 million cars, if I'm buying 7.2 million batteries or one million batteries, VW gets them cheaper but it's the same quality, the market strength is an advantage," he says."If we develop a new electronic system, it's not a disadvanatge because the development can be integrated in different products, you can share the knowledge.  Saving money is an intelligent smart way, without losing the idea of the product - we are convinced of this with our brand, we would be stupid not to take advantage of this large group," he says.Leaner costs help the bottom line and new models boost the sales numbers, but Mr Hagen is also looking to the "pre-owned" side of the business to bring new people into the Audi family - "it's a huge chance to get people into the brand."Audi says its "Approved:plus" vehicles are inspected and come backed with a factory two-year unlimited-kilometre warranty with roadside assist.  Mr Hagen says the after sales side - and customer satisfaction - are also important weapons in building customer loyalty, likening it to interest in a bank account.Mr Hagen said the word of mouth is important for a brand, as people are more critical when giving a recommendation.  "The most challenging thing for a premium brand is customer expectation," he says.

The latest model in Audi's SUV push is not officially confirmed from Germany but is clearly revealed in new Carparazzi images that have been drafted from inside information fresh from Europe. The Q3 is revealed as a compact, classy, soft-roader which will take Audi's SUV drive in a new direction and well away from the wagon-style look of its closest rival, the BMW X1 that will be revealed later this year for sales in 2010 in Australia. The design of the Q3 picks up the softer, rounded look of Audi's recent compact concept cars and is clearly related to the baby A3 hatchback. But it will sit higher and have a body shape that is closer, in some ways, to the controversial BMW X6 that has polarised SUV buyers since it was launched last year. The Q3, like the Q5, will come late to the class but Audi is confident it will do well against the X1 and rivals including the production version of the Land Rover LRX — a baby city car — which is also programmed for 2010. The big difference is that BMW is taking a wagon-style approach to the design of the X1, which uses the mechanical package from the 3 Series all-wheel drive model. It is intended more as a go-anywhere family wagon than a sporty SUV.

Audi will add the Q3 alongside the giant Q7 and just-launched Q5 as it goes all-out to fill every opportunity in the prestige SUV business. The Q3 will also go up against the upcoming BMW X1, which should be in showrooms around the same time. No firm details of the Q3 have been released by Audi, although it says the Cross Coupe Quattro Concept gives some idea of its thinking. The Cross Coupe is more car-like than either the Q7 or Q5, with a rounded five-door wagon body and a coupe-style rounded roofline. The Q3 will be built in Spain and is part of an ambitious Audi plan to have 40-plus individual models in its line-up by 2015. The cost of this new-model rush is more than $2 billion a year. The new SUV is already on the radar for Audi Australia but it is not yet confirmed for local sales. "There is nothing we can confirm, except to say that it's something we're interested in," says Audi Australia spokesperson, Anna Burgdorf. "There is a good chance of seeing the Q3 in Australia, if there is the right market for it. We never make a decision for a new model without knowing it's going to be successful. "We need the right price and the right engines and the right customers to buy it."

Everything from an A5 cabrio, A5 Sportback, A4 Allroad wagon, A7 four-door sports coupe, A1 Sportsback, Q3 off-roader and R8 convertible is on the books.But Audi Australia is not revealing just what is likely to head to Australia.Audi Australia general manager of marketing, Immo Buschmann, is giving little away on the new arrivals, only confirmed the early 2009 launch of the Q5 off-roader.However, he hints that an A5 Sportsback and maybe an A4 Allroad were on the cards."But we have not decided," he says.He says he is unaware specifically what the Germany headquarters has in store for Australia regarding new models.Recently, Audi AG's product development chief, Michael Dick, revealed to European media that Audi's range of 22 vehicles will grow with another 18 "in our heads".It is believed the A5 convertible will be unveiled in Europe before the end of the year with an A5 Sportback arriving next year, followed by the Q3.The A5 Sportback will be designed to fill a gap between the A4 Avant and A6 Avant.Performance derivatives are believed to be among the mix, with an R5 and RS5 mooted.One thing is clear though, the huge investment local dealers have taken in new "Terminal" showrooms will pay off.The first "Terminal" dealership cost $12 million and is located in Sydney's Five Dock.It is the first of a design that will be adopted globally."Our dealers have invested heavily to be able to display and sell these new cars," he says."The Q5 is our next big launch."Audi is expected to launch the car with a tough Trans-Continental drive through Outback Australia like the successful Q7 launch.Speaking at the launch of the RS6 Avant, Buschmann, says although the focus on RS is to maintain exclusivity, he admitted that in the future, the company may have to broaden the RS thinking."If there is demand to broaden the RS portfolio then we will look at it," he says."The ethos of the RS is entirely up to our product strategists."But I imagine we would look at a top-down approach when we look at eligible RS cars, those that have the necessary DNA."