Audi to launch A8L on February 3

Less than three weeks after launching its first new model for 2020, Audi will launch the A8 L luxury sedan in India on February 3, just few days before the Auto Expo.

The German luxury carmaker owned by Volkswagen would launch the flagship model after having started the year with the commercial launch of the Q8 sports utility vehicle in mid-January.

The new Q7 will make its debut in India in the second half of 2020, the company informed. The third largest luxury carmaker will launch its first all-electric car e-tron this year.

The A8L, which has a 13 cm longer wheelbase than the regular A8, is sold in two trim globally both of which are powered by a V6 engine. The milder variant develops peak power of 286hp, while the more powerful version generates 340hp. Both have a top speed of 250km per hour.

This will be the eighth model on sale from Audi in India after the A3, A4, A5, A6, Q5, Q7 and Q8. The international launch of the A8 happened a couple of year ago and the car was slated to come to India last year. However, looking at the severity of the slowdown several carmakers had to alter their launch plans.

Sales of luxury cars sold by the German trio – Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi – clocked a 26 percent year-on-year fall to 28,021 units in 2019.

Audi witnessed a fall that was the worst in 10 years. The German company, that was once the top luxury car maker in India in sales, posted a decline of 29 percent YoY to 4,594 units in 2019.

Despite the slowdown luxury carmakers will not go slow on launches. Mercedes-Benz, the country’s largest luxury carmaker, will launch more than 10 models in India this year.