Volkswagen launches Polo

Volkswagen, Europes largest car maker, launched its much awaited premium hatchback, Polo at a price of Rs 4.34 lakh for the petrol variant and Rs 5.32 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) for the diesel variant.

"India is a key market for our overall strategic growth plans and with launch of the Polo, it affirms our commitment to offer quality products to customers at affordable prices," said Neeraj Garg, Member of Board and Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Volkswagen Group Sales India. Deliveries of the new 1.2 petrol variant will begin from March and the diesel variant in May.

VW will manufacture the Polo from its Chakan plant with an annual capacity of 1.11 lakh cars. The Polo offers some standard features like the tilt & telescopic steering and the green-tinted heat-blocking glass.

VW which currently markets the iconic Beetle, Jetta, Passat and the Touareg sports utility vehicle, expects the Polo to be a volume puller and a money spinner for the segment.

The Polo which will compete with the Hyundai i10 and the Maruti Suzuki Swift will have a localisation level of 50% .

Audi Q5 May be Assembled in India

This is one among the many plans of Audi, a wholly owned subsidiary of Volkswagen, which has been revealed recently.

The company is planning to locally assemble a model in India. Though the company has not specified the model that will be assembled in the country, it has given us a hint that it will be an SUV. And working on this lead the most popular guess is Audi Q5. If the guess is right, then the Q5 will be the third model from the luxury carmaker that will be assembled in India, Audi A4 and A6, being the other two.

If you are expecting a change in price then you are mistaken, the Q5 will be still priced at Rs 44.94 lakh for its 3.0 TDI Quattro and Rs 38.94 lakh for 2.0 TFSi Quattro. And there is fine explanation for this and that is the company has already launched the model at the CKD or local assembly price and the company does not differentiate between CBU and CKD.

This shift in the location of assembly is a part of the company’s plan to expand its business in the country. Audi till this time of the year has marked a 62 per cent hike in its sales compared to the last year. And this has been a true encouragement for the company in the midst of economic slowdown and it is planning to bring in new models next.

The company has also not revealed the expected date on which it will start assembling its model. With most of the information about the model and other details still shrouded in mystery, nothing stops the car lovers in the country from speculating.

VW Polo to be seen in India by 2010

The Volkswagen Polo is expected to be in the Indian car market by the end of next year. Indians have been long expecting the launch of this supermini car. But the wait just a little longer.

It has been reported three years back that the car will be available to the Indian car customers by 2009 and it will be competing against the Maruti Swift, Hyundai Getz and Tata Indica. But when the promised time has just arrived the wait is extended by another one year and the car will have a new set of rivals in the Indian market by the end of 2010.

Let us hope that the wait will finally end this year. The bookings have already begun in Europe for this fifth-generation of Polo. For the European customers, the Polo is a very familiar model and a much loved one also. But for us Indians, we have to wait until Volkswagen plans to deliver this cute hatchback to our shores by sometime in 2010.

For the Indian car customers, there will be modifications in the car so that it will meet their needs the best. But from the master car builder it will be surely some great features, as the Indian customers also have now learned the trick of not getting settled for what has been offered but asking for more.

The exteriors of the car will match its siblings the Volkswagen Jetta and Passat, but mocks at the more serious look of these models with the dual indicators, which gives the car a sportier look. As for the engine options, the base model of the car will be available in a 1.2-litre petrol and there will be a more powerful engine option of 1.2 TSI petrol motor.

The price is expected to be between 4 lakh and 7 lakh which looks quite tempting, but wait and see, what this long wait has in store.

Volkswagen Caddy – the New Commercial Car from Volkswagen

“India deserves a good taxi,” said Stefan Schaller, board spokesman for VW’s commercial vehicles business.

Volkswagen is planning to launch a new car in India, the Volkswagen Caddy as a low cost taxi for urban use. The commercial arm of Volkswagen may soon launch its new model, the VW Caddy, in India via a joint venture with an Indian partner.



The new Caddy will be a viable alternative to Tata Indigo and Tata Indica currently being used by Indian taxi operators. This would mark entry of the company in the Rs 43,000 crore commercial vehicle market in India. The existing model of VW caddy does not have any windows at the back – the windows are only in the front, but this mainly due to taxation rules in Europe. The existing model of the VW Caddy in the UK may not be feasible in India and the Indian version may come with a few modifications. Volkswagen has already announced that it plans to expand its network and product portfolio in India to occupy a larger market share. It had also announced that it will enter the commercial vehicle market in India as well.

VW Caddy has a seating capacity of seven passengers and is like a delivery van and a compact van rolled into one. Volkswagen has not announced its prices or other details but the car is expected to be priced around Rs.8-9 lakh in India.