Volkswagen has officially commenced production of its much-awaited sedan, the Virtus. The Virtus will be replacing the aging Vento and will go up against the likes of Skoda Slavia, Honda City, Hyundai Verna, and Marut Ciaz. The Virtus is based on the MQB AO IN platform which the Taigun SUV is based on. Bookings for the Virtus are already underway and it is expected to launch in May.
Official statement
Commenting on the announcement, Piyush Arora, Managing Director, ŠKODA AUTO Volkswagen India Pvt. Ltd. said, “With the start of production of the New Virtus at our Chakan facility in Pune, we have successfully completed our commitment of launching two new products under the India 2.0 project based on the MQB A0 IN platform for the market under Volkswagen Brand.”
“The New Volkswagen Virtus is an unparalleled offering that brings in the newness and excitement in the premium midsize sedan segment. The overwhelming response received at the World Premiere has further driven our confidence. The New Virtus is built to perfection for aspirational Indian customers and with the start of production, we are eager to introduce the striking, exhilarating, and German-engineered sedan at the earliest for the Indian market,” added Ashish Gupta, Brand Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars India.
VW Virtus: a quick recap
The Virtus will be offered in two lines based on the engine. The Dynamic line is powered by the 1-litre TSI whereas the performance line comes powered by the 1.5-liter TSI. The Virtus claims to be the biggest mid-size sedan that you can buy today. It measures 4,651 mm in length, 1,507 mm in height, and 1,752mm in width. The wheelbase is 2651 mm which is the best-in-class and similar to the Skoda Slavia. The Virtus features a clean and understated design that we have come to see in other Volkswagen cars.
In terms of features, it gets automatic climate control, a reverse parking camera, an 8-inch virtual cockpit display, auto headlamps, auto wipers, auto-dimming inside rearview mirror, auto-folding mirrors, wireless charging, ventilated seats, electric sunroof, cruise control, and keyless entry with push-button start. The Virtus comes with a host of safety features such as brake disc wiping, ASR, MSR, Electronic differential lock with XDS and XDS+, three-point seatbelts for all the rear passengers, multi-collision braking, 6 airbags, TPMS, HHC, ABS, and EBD, and TCS.