Audi Suspends Q5 Sales In India — When Will This NOxious Diesel Madness End?

Published: Wednesday, September 28, 2016, 9:46 [IST]

German carmaker Audi has discontinued sales of its Q5 luxury SUV in India after testing by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) found the vehicle's emission levels to be higher than the prescribed limit.

According to Times Of India sources, the Q5 SUV's Nitrous Oxide emission levels were found to be above the limit prescribed by current emission norms in India.

The reason for this is said to be air getting trapped in the coolant system of the Q5.

Audi has withdrawn the Q5 from showrooms across India. The German carmaker is already working on a modified version of the Q5 which should rectify the emission issues plaguing the current SUV.

The modified version of the Q5 is already at the ARAI testing facilities where it is being tested.

An Audi spokesperson told the Times Of India that the issue is now resolved and that the company is awaiting approval from the ARAI so that they can start selling the SUV again.

The Audi Q5 sold in India is powered by the 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 diesel engine. The turbo diesel engine produces 174bhp and 380Nm of torque. The power and torque is sent to all four wheels through a 7-speed automatic gearbox.

The Q5 will sprint from 0-100km/h in 9 seconds and has a top speed of 200km/h and returns a mileage of 14.16km/l.

The withdrawal of the Q5 during the festive season could hit Audi hard. Rivals like Mercedes-Benz are adding more SUVs to their Indian lineup in a bid to to capture the pockets of the luxury Indian car buyers who are increasingly moving towards SUVs.