Recent shockers during the course of this year, like ban on sale of BS-III vehicles, increase in cess on certain vehicles under the GST, and the latest government push to BS-VI fuel, seems to have left auto dealers with a surplus stock.

Nearly 72 days after the government implemented the biggest tax reform in the country bringing car prices to a new low, the GST Council on Saturday hiked cess on mid-sized, luxury and SUV cars which is likely to raise car prices to pre-GST level.

Luxury carmakers said the constant changes in rates could lead to market instability and affect demand growth trends, expressing disappointment over the move.

Amid a cheering market response to the reduction in ex-showroom prices of up to Rs 11 lakh, following lower taxation post - GST, the luxury carmakers are crying hollow over hiked cess to 25 per cent from the earlier 15 per cent.

The refreshed A4 from Audi, which retails over a dozen models in India, has distinctive LED treatment to the headlamps and the tail lights, making the new design aggressive and crisper than the predecessor.

Audi India has been the fastest to achieve pole position in the Indian luxury car market, since its 2007 debut. Last year, though, it lost the coveted spot to Mercedes-Benz. Audi India Head Joe King shares key issues, driving the Indian luxury space and new challenges.

The Model 3 is critical to the Silicon Valley automaker's growth plans and to sustaining its lofty stock price. Tesla shares have jumped in recent days in anticipation of the Model 3 launch.

German luxury car maker Audi on Wednesday launched the new R8 V10 Plus, which will have an ex-showroom price (Mumbai and Delhi) of Rs 2.47 crore.

Both the companies posted impressive growth over 2014, but Mercedes-Benz's sales volumes in 2015 grew by a higher 32 per cent, making it the consecutive third year of double-digit growth.

Analysts tracking the automotive industry say that the ban may change the buying cycles in the largest market. Companies are evaluating options to bring new fuels like biodiesel as a lesser polluting option.

Tyre Corporation of India is among the public sector units that had earlier been cleared for revival through the joint venture or disinvestment route.

Government said significant variations in the emission levels have been found in diesel vehicles belonging to the Jetta, Audi A4 and Vento models.

About 92,000 units of eight Volkswagen models, including the Golf, Jetta, Beetle, Passat, and Tiguan, are subjected to recall and around 35,000 vehicles of six Audi models including A3, A4 and Q5 will also be recalled.

Though it was not possible to exactly figure out the level of drop in sales, some dealerships that Business Today talked to indicated marginal fall in sales.

Some 1.42 million Audi vehicles with so-called EU5 engines are affected in Western Europe, with 577,000 in Germany and almost 13,000 in the United States, a spokesman for Ingolstadt-based Audi said on Monday.

\"We have initiated a field service action to correct a product concern on 3,072 Ford Fiesta TDCi vehicles,\" Ford India said in a statement.

\"No complaints have been received in India so far. However, the company is conducting this recall as a part of the Voluntary Recall code,\" the comp said.

\"This activity is specific to Audi A4 cars manufactured between November 2011-October 2014. There are 6,758 Audi A4 identified for this software update campaign,\" Audi India said in a statement.

The A3 is the first model from the Audi stable to be locally produced before being launched in India.