'Every third car we sell is to an Audi customer': India head Balbir Singh Dhillon at Q3 launch; here's what he meant

Audi India's Balbir Singh Dhillon says existing customers account for a third of its car sales. Following the new Q3 launch, the company aims to raise its luxury market share to 15-16% in three to five years through new models, dealership expansion and a focus on customers.

At the launch of the new Audi Q3 in India on October 16, the company's brand director, Balbir Singh Dhillon, said, "Every third car we sell is to an Audi customer," indicating that existing Audi customers account for about a third of its car sales and demonstrating their brand loyalty.

Audi India head's remarks on the new Q3

In a LinkedIn post last month, Dhillon wrote, "There are cars that sell, and there are cars that earn a place in a customer's life. The Audi Q3 has always belonged to the second kind. I still remember when the Audi Q3 first arrived in India, a car that had a lot to prove in a segment that was only just taking shape. It did not take long for that to change, growing steadily into one of our best-selling models, year after year."

All you need to know about the Audi Q3

The new model reportedly marks the start of a new innings for Audi in India. Available in Nova and Zenith variants, the SUV is powered by a 2.0-litre petrol engine. Bookings for the car began on September 1, with the first deliveries scheduled to begin on October 17.

The third-generation Q3 is assembled locally at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in Maharashtra. Its Nova variant starts at ₹51.99 lakh, while the Zenith costs ₹55.99 lakh, both ex-showroom. The SUV competes with the BMW X1 and Mercedes-Benz GLA, according to reports.

The Q3 launch is part of the company's broader plan to expand its product range, strengthen its dealership network and increase its share of India's luxury car market.

Audi's India plans

Speaking with news agency PTI earlier this month, Dhillon outlined the carmaker's plans for the Indian market, noting that Audi is considering local manufacturing of a battery electric vehicle (BEV).

The company aims to roughly double its market share from eight per cent to 15-16 per cent over the next three to five years through a three-pillar strategy focused on customer centricity, new product introductions and network expansion.

The German carmaker also hopes to use the proposed India-EU free trade agreement (FTA) to introduce more models in the country and assess buyer interest. Alongside this, it plans to expand its dealership network, with a focus on tier-II and tier-III cities.

Dhillon said, "FTA will help us bring more models to India for testing the volumes," and added, "We will also get an opportunity to export the car, not Audi per se, but the Indian automotive industry, and you know we are opening up 95 per cent of the markets on both sides."

According to the PTI report, India's luxury car market recorded sales of about 52,000 units in 2025 and is projected to reach roughly 55,000 units in 2026.

Audi India recorded retail sales of 1,896 cars in the first half of 2026, compared with 4,510 units for the whole of 2025. The company expects sales to remain broadly flat this year, as new models are being introduced only in the latter part of the year, the report said.