New Volkswagen Jetta to roll out mid-2011

After rolling out the Passat and Vento ‘IPL’ edition this year, Volkswagen India is now gearing up to launch the new-generation Jetta luxury sedan in the second-half of 2011.

The news was revealed by Volkswagen Passenger Car Director Neeraj Garg at the launch of the new Passat. Garg reportedly said that Volkswagen will try and clear existing Jetta stocks before bringing in the new model in the second half of this calendar year.

The new Volkswagen Jetta is partly based on the PQ35 platform, which has also been used for building the Volkswagen Golf, Skoda Yeti and Skoda Superb. The car has already been launched in South American markets, where, interestingly, it’s called the Vento.

In fact, it borrows design cues from the Vento that’s sold in India, though the dimensions, engine and performance are at par with other cars in the segment. The wheelbase is now longer by 2.76 inches, while the overall length is up 3.54 inches. Expect interiors to undergo a major overhaul with plush seats and a more ergonomically designed dashboard layout. Related: 2011 Volkswagen Passat launched in India at a starting price of Rs 20.80 lakh

The Jetta sold in markets abroad comes with two engine options: a 1.4-litre TSI petrol engine that churns out 122 hp of maximum power and a 2.0 TDI diesel engine that develops 140 hp of maximum power. Both manual and automatic transmissions are available.

The new Jetta which is expected to be priced anywhere between Rs. 14 lakh to Rs. 18 lakh, will lock horns with Chevrolet Cruze, Skoda Laura, Toyota Corolla Altis, Honda Civic and the newly launched Maruti Suzuki Kizashi (based on price range). There are speculations that Volkswagen might launch the more fuel-efficient ‘BlueMotion’ version, which may end up being the new Jetta’s USP.