If there’s one Audi that many have been waiting for, it is this one. The refreshed Q5. And yes, as you can see, the local assembly of the SUV in question has commenced at Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Pvt. Ltd.’s plant in Aurangabad. That development means two things – bookings will open soon, and the launch isn’t far away either. However, if you believe in calculated guesswork, expect Audi to start entertaining bookings within October 2021. And as for the launch, that should happen sometime next month.

Audi unwrapped the refreshed Q5 back in June 2020. That’s when things started to normalise (somewhat) in Europe after the havoc COVID-19 delivered. India, on the other hand, was under the protective blanket of a lockdown. That said, the auto industry partially came back to life by the time the Q5 facelift broke cover. But, shipments from overseas weren’t back to normal. They still aren’t.

Like all other models, Audi will launch the refreshed Q5 as a petrol-only model. And there’s likely to be just one engine option – the same powerplant that does duty in the A6 sedan. That’s a 2.0-litre, turbocharged unit with 241bhp/370Nm on tap. Coupled to it will be a 7-speed DSG, which will send power to all four wheels via the Quattro all-wheel-drive system. With that powertrain, expect a sub-7-seconds 0-100kmph sprint time. And the top speed should be around 235kmph.

On the features front, the new Q5 will borrow most of the stuff from the A6. That means the list will include two-zone automatic climate control, memory function for the electrically adjustable front seats and LED-powered headlamps, taillamps and DRLs. In addition, other features such as a powered sunroof, a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and cruise control will be part of the package.

Once launched, the new Audi Q5 will compete against the Land Rover Discovery Sport, Mercedes-Benz GLC, BMW X5, Jaguar F-Pace and the Volvo XC60. Mind you, the Volvo will soon have a petrol-only portfolio as well.