The new volume driver from Volkswagen, the Virtus sedan, is off to a flying start in the Indian car market. According to a new sales report, more than 5,000 units of the Volkswagen Virtus have been delivered by the German carmaker in the last two months of July and August. The Virtus was launched in India in June 2022, and since then, it has joined the Taigun in Volkswagen’s India 2.0 strategy.
In addition to achieving this sales milestone, the new Volkswagen Virtus has also created two new records – one each for the India Book of Records from Kerala and the other for the Asia Book of Records from Gujarat. Both these records are related to the Virtus being the only sedan which got delivered to maximum customers in a single day.
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Sharing its MQB A0-IN platform and mechanical underpinnings with the Skoda Slavia and its sibling, the Volkswagen Taigun, the new Volkswagen Virtus has arrived as a replacement for the ageing Vento sedan. Compared to the Vento, the new Volkswagen Virtus is a larger car which has outgrown the former in terms of dimensions. It also offers new-generation features and equipment levels which are one step above the Vento. Currently available at a starting price of Rs 11.21 lakh, the Volkswagen Virtus has been launched as a petrol-only sedan, which is a common thing for all the new cars under Skoda and Volkswagen’s India 2.0 strategy.
VW offers a long list of features with the Virtus including all-LED headlamps, an eight-speaker system, single-pane sunroof, climate control system, automatic headlamps, and rain-sensing wipers, ventilated seats, push-button start, 60:40 split seats with the GT, cooled glove box and more.
The new Virtus also gets features like stability control, hill-hold, tyre deflation warning, electronic differential lock, multi-collision braking and even six airbags with the top-end variants.
Mr. Ashish Gupta, Brand Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars India said,
“The Volkswagen Virtus is a strong product offering in the premium midsize sedan segment in India with its ‘Big by’ design and features. The acceptance and admiration given by our customers to the Virtus is overwhelming and we look forward to delighting many more customers with our best-in-class products and services.”
Petrol engine options only
There are two choices of petrol-powered engines available in the Volkswagen Virtus lineup. First is the 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, which delivers 115 PS of maximum power output and 175 Nm of maximum torque output, and is offered with a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic gearbox options. There’s also a 1.5-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine option, which is available with a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox as standard and produces 150 PS of maximum power and 250 Nm of maximum torque.
The Volkswagen Virtus has entered into a segment of midsize sedans, which is gaining traction once again after being hit by the wave of popularity of compact and midsize SUVs. The Virtus competes with cars like Skoda Slavia, Honda City and the Hyundai Verna.
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