Amid the dieselgate incident that shook the entire company in 2015, Volkswagen is gearing up with fresh ambitions for 2016. The German company will use the upcoming Auto Expo as the platform to unveil models slated for India. VW India has confirmed the unveiling of India-spec compact sedan, Tiguan SUV and Passat GTE, a plug-in hybrid for the upcoming event in February.
"The Indian compact sedan, our made-in-India and made-for-India carline, is a truly special offering from the Volkswagen stable with all the brand values of best in class safety features, build quality and a great driving experience, and is expected to be a game-changer for us." Michael Mayer, director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars India, said in a statement.
Volkswagen compact sedan
Volkswagen India's new compact sedan is designed, developed and made in India. The sedan has been linked with the production names Ameo and Bora. The company has invested Rs 720 crore in the development of the new model. When launched, the compact sedan will be pitted against the likes of Swift Dzire, Honda Amaze, Tata Zest, Hyundai Xcent, and Ford Aspire. VW is likely to continue with the current Polo engines that include 1.2-litre MPI and TSI petrol engines and the 1.5-diesel unit. Price expected: Rs 5-7 lakh.
Volkswagen Tiguan
Volkswagen unveiled the all-new Tiguan compact crossover at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show in September. The new Tiguan, despite being 60mm longer and 30mm wider, has lost more than 50kg and sits 33mm lower. It also uses the MQB platform of the VW group as opposed to the PQ35 platform of the outgoing model. The Tiguan is available for the global market in a range of eight engines in petrol and diesel with power ranging from 115bhp to 248bhp. Though the engine for India is not confirmed, the vehicle is likely to get the 187bhp 2.0-litre diesel engine. Price expected: Rs 20-25 lakh.
Volkswagen Passat GTE
The Passat is not a new name in India. Volkswagen previously sold the car in India till 2014. However, the GTE model is coming for the first time in India. The plug-in-hybrid model, the Passat GTE is powered by a four-cylinder, 1395cc TSI petrol engine developing 154bhp and 250Nm of torque. The electric motor working in harmony with the engine develops 114bhp that collectively churns out 214bhp and has a driving range of 1,000 km. The diesel engine will be 2.0-litre TDI engine mated to a DSG transmission. Price expected: Rs 32-35 lakh.
