On the occasion of the inauguration of Audi's first showroom in India - in Kochi - Benoit Tiers, the Audi India Managing Director, said that the German luxury car manufacturer was looking at a 55 percent growth this fiscal from the Indian market, and is expecting a sale of 1,500 cars.

Tiers told reporters that although the recession-hit luxury car sales in many countries have nosedived, the Indian market still remains "buoyant." Audi already has nine dealerships in India, with three additions to come up by the year-end - at Ludhiana, Chennai and Delhi. Audi claimed that in spite of the recession, Audi had delivered more than one million cars worldwide. From the Kerala market, which is growing as a potential luxury car market, the car maker projects selling 80 cars till December; with 25 already been sold.

Terming the Kochi showroom as the flagship showroom of Audi in India, Tiers said that the showroom epitomizes Audi's most recent and exclusive 'terminal architecture.' The futurist Kochi dealership, with 9,000 square feet wide area out-and-out for sales, Tiers expects this Audi terminal to boost the visibility of the brand through an instantaneously-recognizable design in world metropolises.

Saying that currently such terminals are located at Tokyo, Geneva, Munich, and Sydney, Tiers added that by 2012-end, 350 additional Audi terminals would be created the world over.