Team-BHP - Volkswagen Ameo @ Auto Expo 2016. EDIT: Starts at Rs. 5.14 lakhs!
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The best thing I can say about it is that it looks a bit like it was made by Tata. And I'm a dedicated VW fanboy!

VW Ameo pre-launch campaign starts with 3 new TVCs (Rushlane source)

Quote:

Launch is scheduled for second week of June 2016.

Volkswagen India has gotten on with its next phase of the Ameo pre-launch campaign in Pune. The made-in-India and made-for-India VW Ameo is designed to meet requirements of young and urban Indian customers

Customer engagement during roadshows will telecast a series of 3 films that capture Ameo’s first-in-class features like cruise control, rain sensing wipers and reverse parking camera at all dealerships. The films highlights requirements of Indian consumers and are presented with humour. You too can watch the three new TVCs below.

Couple of pictures from the Pune roadshow, where Volkswagen has kickstarted it's Ameo media campaign promotion:

Volkswagen Ameo @ Auto Expo 2016. EDIT: Starts at Rs. 5.14 lakhs!-volkswagenindiaameoroadshow1.jpg

Volkswagen Ameo @ Auto Expo 2016. EDIT: Starts at Rs. 5.14 lakhs!-volkswagenameo16.jpg

Motoroids

Ameo definitely seems like a perfect package for those wanting to upgrade from a hatcback to a compact sedan. Its got all the bells and whistles that one might want/need in a CS. What we see here are a lot of first-in-segment features borrowed straight from the Polo/Vento

1. RCD 330G infotainment system
2. Cruise Control
3. DSG AutoBox
4. Reverse Parking Camera (Wonder why this was omitted from the New Vento ??)

Ofcourse, all this comes only second to pricing for most of the Indian buyers.

Is this car a game changer in the CS category ? Well, we need to wait and see how well VW prices it.

Slightly OT:
Since the Ameo sports the RCD 330G infotainment system with RVC, is it possible to retrofit the RVC to the New Vento/Polo ? From some of the pictures it looks like the RVC is mounted on the centre soft-touch boot open switch.

Quote:

Originally Posted by volkman10 (Post 3970274)
Namste India - VW Ameo roadshow to begin soon!

Attachment 1505717
Attachment 1505718

The Tamil script for Chennai is wrong! :Frustrati The right one would be 'சென்னை'

Wake up VW!

It's high time VW brings in a new marketing team. The current one just focuses on the feature list which is not VW's forte as of now. What they should do is advertise about their USPs ie build quality, diesel performance, DSG etc
Looking at all the Vento advertisements in the newspaper doesn't convince me to buy one although I own one. They are so far away from what you can actually experience with the car.
Truth is the marketing team is going the Hyundai way to sell a VW. I wouldn't be surprised if the Ameo flops since customers who want features have plenty of options especially at a time when VW's name is tarnished.

Got a message from VW Downtown Mumbai stating that pre-bookings for the Ameo starts today. You can either contact your dealership or else there is even some app for futher information.

Once the Ameo is launched, I presume VW will stop the Vento ? Because who would pay more and buy a car that looks 95% the same ? Every other car maker that operates in the CS segment has a completely different model in the "C" segment ( if they operate there - for e.g. Dzire/Ciaz, Xcent/Verna, Aspire/Fiesta ).

Quote:

Originally Posted by narayan (Post 3974771)
Once the Ameo is launched, I presume VW will stop the Vento ? Because who would pay more and buy a car that looks 95% the same ? Every other car maker that operates in the CS segment has a completely different model in the "C" segment ( if they operate there - for e.g. Dzire/Ciaz, Xcent/Verna, Aspire/Fiesta ).

AFAIK, Fiesta have been discontinued long back and Aspire is also not contributing much for Ford. Wonder what monthly sales target VW have in its mind for Ameo, with CS segment growth is dwindling lately with the arrival of Premium hatches and Compact SUVs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpcoolguy (Post 3974933)
AFAIK, Fiesta have been discontinued long back and Aspire is also not contributing much for Ford. Wonder what monthly sales target VW have in its mind for Ameo, with CS segment growth is dwindling lately with the arrival of Premium hatches and Compact SUVs.

Quoting an earlier post of mine. Definitely looks like modest targets. Maybe 1500 units per month from the below report in ET. If they can do that without impacting Polo and Vento, it would be a win.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj (Post 3970608)
VW seems to have modest targets for the Ameo. As per a report in ET, VW is looking at a 15% rise in production in 2016 most of which will be due to the Ameo. 15% means around 18-20,000 units per year which will translate into 1500 units per month. Even assuming all the increase will happen post the Ameo launch, it is still about 2500 cars per month.

Of course it would be a win if they can achieve even that without impacting the Polo and Vento numbers.


Just came back from a quick visit to VW Karnavati.
Looked like they had invited anybody and everybody and it resembled a party atmosphere inside.

Volkswagen Ameo @ Auto Expo 2016. EDIT: Starts at Rs. 5.14 lakhs!-20160516_181823.jpg

Volkswagen Ameo @ Auto Expo 2016. EDIT: Starts at Rs. 5.14 lakhs!-20160516_182255.jpg

Everything looked like Polo and Vento

Volkswagen Ameo @ Auto Expo 2016. EDIT: Starts at Rs. 5.14 lakhs!-20160516_181831.jpg

Volkswagen Ameo @ Auto Expo 2016. EDIT: Starts at Rs. 5.14 lakhs!-20160516_182345.jpg

Boot is 300 lts according to the SA.

Volkswagen Ameo @ Auto Expo 2016. EDIT: Starts at Rs. 5.14 lakhs!-20160516_184728.jpg

The showroom was all decked up

Bookings have started. One could book it for Rs 21,000, but even Rs10,000 will do.

No test drive vehicles as of now. No diesel version as of now. SA was not sure of the prices too, but said it could start from Rs 8 lakh and go up to Rs 11 lakh.

A typical Volkswagen product based on the Polo and Vento, I wonder what is taking Volkswagen India so much time to launch it. Except the dull 1.2 MPi Petrol engine, there are hardly any faults which can be taken out. Being a German vehicle, build quality is definitely going to be segment benchmark, so are the interiors. The 1.5 TDi engine is pretty impressive and with the 7 Speed DSG, A first proper diesel Compact Sedan in India.
Now, no matter how well they equip it or promote it, the game changer for VW is going to be the pricing, they need to price it as aggressively as possible because the competition in the segment is already intense and well this car has the potential to de-throne the Honda Amaze from the 2nd Spot in terms of sales being a much superior product.

From the front I know it's a Volkswagen, from the back, I wonder if the designer of TATA or Maruti was hired? :deadhorse

What is that design? Is that even design? Unexpected from Volkswagen! On the inside, it appears to be better than the cars of the similar class/segment.

Why would anyone go for this car? They'd rather get a Polo, or if a boot is required, an Amaze or Dzire considering cost factors of course.

For this to succeed Volkswagen has to price it aggressively else it will die like Figo Aspire. If Volkswagen is serious about this offering they will price it accordingly for this doesn't have the looks. Its loaded to the max, however rear seat space is inadequate and hence people would any day prefer Amaze or the desire. Only car enthusiasts are going to think about Cruise, Hill hold control, 7 speed transmission.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sreepathy (Post 3975198)
No test drive vehicles as of now. No diesel version as of now. SA was not sure of the prices too, but said it could start from Rs 8 lakh and go up to Rs 11 lakh.

I just hope these are on road prices - if they're showroom prices, then this will be a big flop. I myself am looking forward to the pricing of Ameo eagerly.


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