Volkswagen Virtus spotted ahead of launch: Will rival Maruti Ciaz & Honda City

Volkswagen has started testing its new mid-size sedan, Virtus. It will be replacing the current Vento which has not received a significant update since it was first launched. A convoy of Virtus sedans was spotted recently in Jaipur. We expect the Volkswagen Virtus to launch around May of 2022 but the manufacturer might unveil the sedan ahead of launch.

Virtus will share a lot of components with the recently unveiled Skoda Slavia. It will be based on the same MQB-A0-IN. This is a new platform that has been specially developed for India. It is a heavily localized version of the MQB-A0 platform that Volkswagen and its subsidiaries use for their vehicles.

The MQB-A0-IN platform is also being used for Skoda Slavia, Kushaq and the Volkswagen Taigun. Because of this platform, the wheelbase of all these four vehicles is identical. It measures 2,651 mm. So, we can expect ample room for the occupants. A small issue can be headroom for the rear occupants. That is because it seems like the Virtus can have a coupe-like sloping roofline that robs away some headroom.

Also read: India”s first Maruti Ciaz to get scratchproof PU paint: This is it (Video)

From the pictures, we can make out that there will be twin-pod headlamp clusters, the lower variants will be equipped with halogen setups while the higher variants will get LED setup. The front grille is very slim and there are typical simple straight lines on the bodywork. There are also two slats in the lower half of the bumper to feed fresh air to the radiator.

There would be LED tail lamps at the rear and we can also see a shark-fin antenna, high mounted stop lamp and 5-spoke alloy wheels. We can also see that there are three head rests on the rear bench.

Engine and gearbox

We already know what engine and gearbox will Volkswagen offer. This is because the engine and gearboxes are shared with Volkswagen Taigun, Skoda Kushaq and Slavia. There will be two petrol engine options. The Virtus, just like other Skoda and Volkswagen vehicles will not be offered with a diesel engine. Both the engines are turbocharged.

There is a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine that produces 115 PS of max power and 178 Nm of peak torque. The engine will come with a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard. There will be a 6-speed torque converter automatic gearbox on offer as well.

Then there is the more powerful 1.5-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine that produces 150 PS of max power and 250 Nm of peak torque. It comes mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard or a 7-speed DSG dual-clutch automatic gearbox. This engine will make Virtus and Slavia, the most powerful sedan in the segment. Also, it comes with ACT or Active Cylinder Technology. So, if the situation is suitable, the engine will start running on only two cylinders which will help in saving fuel and increase fuel efficiency.

Rivals

Volkswagen Virtus will be competing against the Hyundai Verna, Maruti Suzuki Ciaz, Skoda Slavia and Honda City.

Source

Also read: Skoda Kushaq SUV”s official launch & price announcement timeline revealed officially