It's a bold play that has been a long time coming. Hoping to finally improve its position in the Indian auto market, Volkswagen has firm...
It's a bold play that has been a long time coming. Hoping to finally improve its position in the Indian auto market, Volkswagen has firmed up an SUV strong strategy. The group will unleash up to 10 new models - all SUVs - in India across 2020 and 2021. The all-SUV line-up will be led by the Volkswagen brand itself, while Skoda will lead the volumes play with the most attractively priced model of them all. VW will bring in the T-Roc compact SUV alongside the long wheelbase Tiguan Allspace to market at the 2020 Auto Expo. While the T-Roc will be brought in as a CBU (completely built unit), the bigger volumes will naturally come from the locally built cars. On display will be a production-ready concept of the for the India version of the T-Cross compact SUV. Sharing the spotlight will be Skoda's iteration of that same car - which will make its world debut at Delhi. carandbike had been the first to break the news on both the T-Roc coming to India, as well as the Tiguan Allspace replacing the current Tiguan here.
The new Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace will replace the existing short-wheelbase model sold in India
The VW Group's India 2.0 plan sees Skoda take the lead on the impending product offensive. All operations for the two brands have also recently been merged under one umbrella to help create greater efficiencies as also effective sharing of products, components and plans. So, the Skoda subcompact SUV will lead the volumes play, and we can now confirm that this is not the Kamiq, or a derivative of it. It is instead an SUV that's based on the T-Cross, but with major modifications to make it appealing and affordable to Indian buyers. Sitting nearly alongside but a tad more premium will be the VW T-Cross itself, albeit again heavily modified and therefore likely sporting a different name.
The Volkswagen T-Cross for India will be heavily modified and will likely get a different name
Both cars will use VW's MQB-A modular platform and drive on the much-touted 1.0 TSI small displacement turbocharged engine as the mainstay. Both will also sport an automatic variant. The VW T-Roc and Tiguan Allspace will also be petrol-only by the way, and it goes without saying that all cars mentioned will be BS6 compliant.
The Skoda Karoq is also likely as a CBU (completely built unit) like the VW T-Roc
Also Read: Exclusive: Volkswagen T-Cross First Drive Review
The VW T-Roc will be available in limited volume and so despite a profitability hit, VW will aim to price it as attractively as possible. It will compete with the Jeep Compass, Tata Harrier and MG Hector. Skoda is also likely to get its T-Roc alter ego to India. The Skoda Karoq is also likely as a CBU - though in this case, there will be a slightly more attractive pricing plan according to our sources. Yet with limited volume at play, VW and Skoda shall aim to use the T-Roc and Karoq as brand shapers. The real volume will only come from the slightly more compact aforementioned siblings. Skoda will also bring the potent Kodiaq RS - a powerful and sporty variant of its benchmark premium SUV to India.
Also Read: Skoda Karoq First Drive Review
The second-generation Audi Q3 will come to India next year, along with the e-Tron and Q8
Meanwhile, Audi is prepping its much delayed second generation Q3, the all-electric e-tron, and its luxury crossover - the Q8 for India. Though Audi will not be participating in the Delhi Expo, the cars will roll out through the 2020-21 fiscal. While the Q3 and possibly even the Q8 would be assembled locally at the VW Group plant in Aurangabad, the e-tron will be a CBU too. We can also expect a mid-cycle facelift on the Q5 within the same timeframe, besides a new generation of the Audi Q7 by 2022.
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