This week Audi India launched a Rs 1.94 crore supercar, the RS Sportback. This five-seater coupé-like grand tourer has a 4.0-litre twin-turbo TFSI petrol engine that produces 600 horsepower and delivers 800Nm torque, propelling this monster of a car from 0-100km/h in just 3.6 seconds. Audi India also said during the launch that the RS 7 Sportback isn’t the only RS model scheduled for 2020, implying more such cars will be launched.
But is there market for such expensive supercars during a slowdown, and why is Audi betting big on the RS?
Balbir Singh Dhillon, the head of Audi India, says that the company has seen good demand for its RS models. “This is evident from the 5,000-plus unique interactions, where audiences have interacted with AR and the 360-degree Product Visualizer (on the company website) for the RS 7 Sportback in a span of 24 days since we opened bookings prior to the launch,” he says.
Moreover, supercars sales aren’t really impacted by slowdowns. In CY2019, Lamborghini, the Italian supercar maker, for instance, sold roughly one unit every week of the Rs 3 crore-plus Urus SUV in India.
Apart from sales, an important function such supercars serve is strengthening the brand. “Performance cars are brand-builders and have been very well received by our customers and potential buyers. These are also a hit with enthusiasts who may not be buyers immediately, but are aspirational,” Dhillon adds.