German carmaking conglomerate, the Volkswagen Group earlier this year introduced its India 2.0 project, which will see Skoda become the leader for the automaking group’s next push forward into the Indian market. Now Autocar India has revealed that the VW group will launch four new cars in the coming years in the form of two SUVs and two sedans as it kicks off its second push in India.
From the Honda City to the Hyundai Creta, these cars will take on C-Segment sedans and compact SUVs.
All four new vehicles from the Volkswagen group will be underpinned by a derivative of the MQB A0 platform developed solely for India which reports have dubbed as ‘MQB A0 IN’.
However, Autocar India claims that all four new vehicles that will enter the country as part of the new India 2.0 project will not be powered by diesel engines as the current 1.5-litre TDI engine cannot be upgraded to BS-VI emission standards and the 2.0-litre engine is apparently too large to fit.
The first vehicle to be based on the new MQB A0 IN architecture will be an all-new SUV from Czech carmaker Skoda. The design of this all-new Skoda SUV will be based on the Vision X concept and will be around 90mm longer than its European-spec sibling. The India-spec Skoda SUV will get a reclining rear seat and extra legroom at the rear. The SUV will be powered by a 1.5-litre petrol engine which will produce around 130 Hp. The SUV could also be expected to be offered with CNG version. The Hyundai Creta will be a direct rival. The Skoda SUV is expected to be priced similar to Hyundai Creta.
The second model to enter India as part of the VW Group’s new plan for the nation will be the T-Cross SUV from Volkswagen. The model was recently revealed in Europe, China and South America. The Indian-version of the T-Cross is expected to look similar to the South American-spec SUV.
Power to this new SUV which will be based on the MQB A0 IN platform will be provided by the same 1.5-litre petrol engine found on the Skoda SUV, with which it will share a few exterior panels and quite a lot more of the interior. Autocar India claims that Skoda and Volkswagen will price these two new SUVs under the Rs 20 lakh mark and will sit in the same segment as the Hyundai Creta and the upcoming Tata Harrier, Nissan Kicks and the next-gen Mahindra XUV5OO.
The publication states that the next two vehicles from the VW group will both be sedans. The first sedan is expected to be Skoda’s version of the Volkswagen Virtus which is expected to arrive sometime in 2021. The Volkswagen Virtus itself will come to India at a later date.
Both sedans like the SUVs will be based on the MQB A0 IN platform and will make use of the same 1.5-litre petrol engine. The Skoda sedan will feature a unique front fascia and will share some body panels with its Volkswagen sibling. The Skoda sedan and Virtus will replace the ageing Skoda Rapid and Volkswagen Vento in the Indian market but unlike the current cars will not be mere badge swap jobs. Both the Skoda and Volkswagen sedans will take on the Honda City.
