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Breaking: 2011 Volkswagen Vento launched in India

The Volkswagen Vento has been launched in India and will go one sale by Diwali this year. Here’s some quick info:

Engines:

  • 1.6-litre Petrol, 105hp, 150Nm, 5-speed manual / 6-speed automatic
  • 1.6-litre Diesel, 105hp, 250Nm, 5-speed manual

Variants:

  • Trendline
  • Highline

Features:

  • Tilt- telescopic steering
  • Height adjustable front seats
  • Electrically adjustable ORVMs
  • Climatronic air conditioner
  • Multi-functional display
  • MIT trip computer
  • Front passenger seat can be adjusted from the back seat

Interview with top Volkswagen Officials:

Q: Is it a good time to launch a car, especially in such an inflationary market? How are you going to drive volumes?

A: It’s always a good time to launch a new car. The market is growing in India at the rate of 30 percent per year. The segment in which the Vento will reside is the upper C segment. This segment is growing by 20 percent. This segment, along with the B segment is going to be the growth pillar for us in India. We will drive volumes in this segment with great pricing and quality along with addressing the aspiration factor. We think the Vento will be a great VFM product for India

Q: Any India specific incorporations in the Vento with regard handling, ride and other factors?

A: The suspension and chassis of the Vento have been designed specifically for India. The air conditioner has been designed with hot climate in mind and tested in hot parts of India to provide optimum cooling. The interior of is very large to accommodate taller people in regions like North India> All these incorporations are a result of the surveys we conducted before developing the car. The car has been designed for India and tested in India extensively.

Q: Why have you not brought the TSI engine in India?

A: We adopt a top-down strategy for our products. TSI is modern technology and we have already introduced the tech in the upper segment cars like the Passat. We want to bring the latest technology in India, but we also have to be conscious of the price sensitivities of people. We will bring the tech here for sure once it is within the reach of the people in the segment where the Polo and the Vento are playing.

Q: Will you make the engines for the Vento and the Polo in India?

A: As regards the localization of engines, we are committed to localization. The extent of localization will depend on the volumes. Once the volumes grow, the engines can be produced locally as well.

Q: What is the maintenance-free life of the engine of the car (engine life without any overhauls)?

A: ARAI has tested the car, and they test the car in the real world conditions. And they will give us the certificate only after being thoroughly satisfied with the car’s performance. We can assure that German engineering will ensure the best engine life.

Q: Are you facing any capacity constraints regarding volume? What are the numbers you are doing for the Polo? What is the backlog for Polo deliveries?

A: We are very satisfied with the sales of the Polo. The numbers are much higher than expected. As regards capacity constraints, we want to make a perfect car, so we are not going to overburden the plant overnight. We are going to ramp up the production in a phased, pre-planned manner. We have an annual capacity of 110,000 units in Chakan, but since we are very quality conscious, we will increase the production slowly. We have delivered 4000 Polo cars to the customers in the past 3 months. We currently have a backlog of about 10,000 orders. For the Vento, if the demand happens to be too high, then customers will have to wait, but we should be able to ramp up the production when required.

Live updates during the launch:

  • Vento to get Tilt- telescopic steering, height adjustable front seats, electrical adjustable ORVMS, Climatronic air-con, Multifunctional display – MIT trip computer, front passenger seat can be adjusted from the back seat
  • Polo’s sales are higher than expected. Production could be ramped up further. No info on the 1.6-litre variants yet.
  • ARAI has done extensive testing in real-life driving conditions
  • Vento’s engine production in India is a possibility depending on the volumes
  • TSI engines will only come in top-end cars like the Passat for now to maintain pricing
  • German engineers always analyse the conditions first and then develop the car: VW
  • Interior is larger for the average Indian height
  • Climatronic air-conditioning tuned for India
  • The horn of the Vento is louder for India
  • Suspension tuned for the rough Indian roads
  • A new launch like the Vento will provide growth to the C-segment of the Indian automobile market
  • Even with rising fuel prices, it is still a good time to launch the Vento since the Indian market is booming up with a 30% growth in the last one year
  • Pricing will be very competitive since the Vento is an important car for VW India
  • Pricing will be announced closer to the market introduction. No tentative dates or price tags as of now.
  • To be available in retail Q4 2010 (Diwali as we speculated)
  • Trendline and Highline
  • ABS, driver side air-bag standard, anti-theft system with internal surveillance
  • A/C vents at the back as well
  • Vento expected to be chauffeur driven. Stresses on ample head room and leg room.
  • Mr Neeraj Garg comes onto the stage
  • Petrol variant also available with a 6-speed automatic transmission
  • Vento will be one of the most fuel efficient and safe cars in its segment
  • VW Vento powered by 105bhp 1.6-litre petrol (150Nm) and diesel (250Nm) engines
  • Rear bench to get centre arm-rest
  • The new Vento is much more than the current Polo in terms of experience: VW
  • The Vento underlines the commitment of Volkswagen towards India: VW
  • The Volkswagen Vento rolls onto the stage
  • The video shows a white Vento climbing up a wall like Spiderman! 😛
  • Tagline: The new Volkswagen Vento. German engineering. Best in class.
  • Vento unveiling begins!
  • The motive for 2010 – Double the sales of our passenger cars as compared to 2009
  • The new car is beyond all our expectations – VW
  • Volkswagen brand’s promotional video playing
  • The countdown timer begins
  • Event commencement still a few minutes away it seems
  • The fast-paced western music is now replaced by gentler Indian instrumental music
  • The stage is set at the ‘Park Hotel’ in Delhi for the unveiling of the Vento – the sedan version of the Volkswagen Polo
  • Vento expected to be launched in only one level of trim – the ‘Highline’

We are bringing you to live coverage of the launch of the Volkswagen Vento in India. The coverage will start at 14:00 hours IST. Please refresh the page for the text updates.

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