Audi Q5 sales haulted in India temporarily as ARAI found higher Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) emission level than permitted
Audi has halted sale of Q5 SUV in India temporarily, over higher Nitrogen Oxide (NOx) emission issue. The testing agency ARAI has found much higher level of NOx emission from Audi Q5, than the permitted limit in the country. As an effect, the company has decided to pull out affected model from dealerships, and a rectified version is expected to hit the showrooms soon which come complying with emission norms.
Audi India says, it has already investigated the issue and taken corrective measures as well. The rectified versions were tested by ARAI, and emission levels from these cars are well within permitted limits, as the company claims. Audi has already initiated the process of Type Approval and the cars are expected to be available soon in dealerships.
Also read: 2017 Audi Q5 Spied Testing Again in Mumbai
Meanwhile, suspending sales of Q5 right ahead of festive season could be a dampener. Other luxury automakers in rivalry with Audi, may get advantage due to this decision. Audi however believes that, it won’t affect sales of the company in India. Also, this has no link with Dieselgate scam, as the German company claims.
Dieselgate has been the biggest automotive scandal in the recent past. While the German automaker group Volkswagen AG was found cheating the emission norms in many countries around the world, in India too the TDI diesel engines in Audi, Skoda and VW vehicles were found doing same. A recall of affected models is expected from the concerned companies in the country.
Also read: 2017 Audi Q5 SUV Front Fascia Rendered
Audi Q5 is sold in three different grades in Indian market, which are – Premium, Design and Sports. The car takes power from a 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine mated to a 7-speed automatic transmission. This engine churns out 174 bhp of peak power at 4,200 rpm and 380 Nm of peak torque at 1,750 rpm, with a fuel economy of 12.8 kmpl.
Source: ETAuto