Volkswagen Tiguan India

Volkswagen India bringing 4 new models by 2017, Polo-based compact saloon included

 

2014 Volkswagen Polo GT TDI (75)

2014 Volkswagen Polo GT pictured for reference, only.

Volkswagen India is planning on bringing in 4 new models to India in the next couple of years. The models include a Polo-based compact saloon, Beetle, Passat (B8) and the Tiguan compact crossover. The Polo-based compact saloon is Volkswagen’s attempt to invade the sub-4 metre space that’s currently the roaming grounds of the Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire, Honda Amaze, Hyundai Xcent etc etc. The car is yet to be given a name by VW, but its importance in the Indian market is quite up there. VW is confident that their offering in the segment will combine better quality and offer more features. We reckon the carmaker will plonk the Polo’s 1.2-litre three-pot petrol and 1.5-litre four-pot diesel engines under the bonnet of this car.

VW Beetle

The company’s iconic Beetle is all set to come to India.

The current Beetle was showcased in India at the 2012 Auto Expo, with its global debut happening in 2011. Although the Herbie car never gained little traction in India, the German carmaker persists on its presence in the market. The outgoing Beetle has similar underpinnings to that of the Jetta saloon (PQ35 platform). We hope that the company doesn’t stick anymore flowers to the dash of the Beetle, because that just wasn’t doing it any favours.

Volkswagen-Passat-Europe-images (1)

2015 Volkswagen Passat (B8) pictured here in Euro spec.

The Volkswagen Passat (B8) is built on VW’s versatile MQB platform. This platform also underpins cars such as the latest Skoda Superb and is much lighter than before. The global model comes with several petrol and diesel mills under the bonnet, but the India-bound Passat is expected to come with a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder diesel engine. This makes between 180 to 190 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque. It will come paired with the company’s 7-speed dual-clutch DSG transmission. The Passat (B8) will be significantly more pricey than its Jetta sibling and could rival the A3, in terms of its price tag.

Volkswagen-Tiguan-India-2

The VW Tiguan gets its name from two animals; TIGer and IgUANA. See?

The Volkswagen Tiguan is a compact crossover and thus, offers seating for five people. The company is yet to confirm the Tiguan’s drivetrain and other bits, but expect to see a frugal 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel motor under that bonnet. The Tiguan sits on the same PQ35 platform that’s found underpinning the Skoda Yeti. The price for this compact SUV is expected to be north of 25 lakh Rupees and at that price bracket, it would rival the likes of the Audi Q3 and even, the Toyota Fortuner.

via Overdrive

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