It is that time of the year when car buyers prefer to wait it out until the calendar changes and manufacturers look to clear inventory and boost year-end sales. However, this time, most carmakers are also clearing their BS4 stock and the discounts to be availed are massive. Volkswagen India is offering discounts of up to INR 2.5 lakh+ on select trim levels of the Vento and the Tiguan. The Polo and the Ameo carlines are being offered with discounts of INR 2.0 lakh+ on select variants.
Once the new BS6 norms come into effect on April 1st 2020, the Volkswagen Polo will be fitted with a new BS6 engine and all its current engine options will be discontinued. The 1.5-litre diesel engine in its 90 PS and GT tune will be discontinued altogether and even the 1.2-litre TSI motor will make way for a new engine which will probably be smaller in cubic capacity.
Going forward, Volkswagen India will focus on SUVs and all its future products for India will be heavily localised and built to Indian tastes. The carmaker has invested heavily for its India 2.0 project, under which, the first “Made for India” mid-size SUV will be introduced, based on the MQB-A0-IN platform. The company will most likely be presenting a pre-production version at the Auto Expo 2020, which will be held in New Delhi from 6 to 9 February 2020.
Operations for the Volkswagen Group In India are now driven by their new ‘INDIA 2.0’ project, under which, brand Skoda will take the lead going forward. The group announced the merger of its three passenger car subsidiaries – Volkswagen India Private Limited (VWIPL), Volkswagen Group Sales India Private Limited (NSC) and Skoda Auto India Private Limited (SAIPL). The merged entity will be referred to as ‘Škoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited’ (SAVWIPL). It has a strong brand portfolio which includes Škoda Auto, Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche and Lamborghini. These brands shall retain their distinctive identities, dealer network as well as implementing their own customer experience initiatives. However, they will be pursuing a shared vision and strategy for the Indian subcontinent.