[LLL]

Originally Posted by xinome

at a recent international dealer confrence in the czech republic, skodas indian dealers have told the company its upcoming fabia hatchback should be priced around rs 5.5 - 6 lakh. Any higher and they feel it would be a tough sell, mainly due to stiff competition from the maruti swift ( particularly its diesel version ) and the hyndia getz to a lesser extent.

even at 5.5 Lakhs it will be a tough sell.

our ppl will buy a maruti swift/hyundai diesel getz/indica, a known product with good A.S.S and good FE against a similarly priced car with poor/expensive A.S.S and poor F.E.

e.g. Fiat with its better cars bombed against maruti/hyundai.

[mail4ajo]

Originally Posted by LLL

even at 5.5 Lakhs it will be a tough sell.

I dont think Skoda can price it any lower than this.....Even if they do it at this price, it will set off a price war with swift. And no prizes for guessing, who will win......Swift of course as always.

I think maybe the expectations from Fabia is too much....People are expecting it to be built like the Octavia and Laura?? I seriously doubt...

With Tushky comment on the interiors, I feel the game plan is different. Have a lower quality, mass production car with costing closer to the swift. If they dont plan the cards right,especially price, Fabia will competing only against itself. What do you think?

[khanak]

Originally Posted by LLL

even at 5.5 Lakhs it will be a tough sell.

The Fabia should be priced a little above the Swift. 5.5 lakhs for the base petrol may jsut be ok, but the Diesel should be more expensive. Around a lakh more for the Fabia as compared to the equivalent version of the Swift.

Skoda is a premium brand in India and Skoda is going to want to make the most of this.

[tushky]

Originally Posted by khanak

Skoda is a premium brand in India and Skoda is going to want to make the most of this.

Toyota is a premium brand too, but still they are making small car for india. may be skoda want to do same.

[torqueunlimited]

Originally Posted by mail4ajo

I dont think Skoda can price it any lower than this.....Even if they do it at this price, it will set off a price war with swift. And no prizes for guessing, who will win......Swift of course as always.

I think maybe the expectations from Fabia is too much....People are expecting it to be built like the Octavia and Laura?? I seriously doubt...

With Tushky comment on the interiors, I feel the game plan is different. Have a lower quality, mass production car with costing closer to the swift. If they dont plan the cards right,especially price, Fabia will competing only against itself. What do you think?

The Fabia might take off slowly like the Octavia did when it came. Expect Skoda to not compromise with quality my dear friend. Their slogan is "Obsessed with Quality" and they do stick to it.

The Fabia will definitely give some competition to the Swift even if the Fabia is priced say a lakh more than the swift. Skoda entering the Hatchback segment i India is just brilliant. People will be lured towards it, by spending more, just for the quality of the interiors, the engine, etc.

I believe the Fabia will just brilliantly here. Just time will tell...

[LLL]

Originally Posted by khanak

The Fabia should be priced a little above the Swift. 5.5 lakhs for the base petrol may jsut be ok, but the Diesel should be more expensive. Around a lakh more for the Fabia as compared to the equivalent version of the Swift.

Skoda is a premium brand in India and Skoda is going to want to make the most of this.

Yes, i agree...if they want to remain a premium player then they will not be able to run up the volumes to make them a large player.

if they price it 1 lakh above the swift range, then they are running into Sx4/city territory and those are heavyweights.

[khanak]

Originally Posted by tushky

Toyota is a premium brand too, but still they are making small car for india. may be skoda want to do same.

By saying that Skoda is a premium brand in India, I dont mean that Skoda shouldnt launch its small car in India, I mean that people will be willing to pay extra for the Skoda name and build quality.

[neoonwheels]

Skoda is premium brand for India only... And then its not as premium as BMW n Merc in India...

So a hatch priced above 1 L than Swift terettory is simply not going to work.. Here a common man is more concerned about avg.. now if Swift n Fabia are giving same Avg, looks similar, dimensions are not very different, then Swift will win anyday..

Another fear with Fabia is its spare parts.. Skoda is not famous as a low cost servicing affair.. So Skoda should place it at the right spot if they are intend to play a mass player in small car segment..

[GTO]

Does anyone feel that Skoda may have missed the boat? In 2007, the segment is more competitive than ever. In another three years, Honda and Toyota are sure to have cars in the 5 - 6 lakh priceband.

[WhiteKnight]

Originally Posted by GTO

Does anyone feel that Skoda may have missed the boat?

Well, they did miss this boat. Not surprising, as their their "premium" boats are losing too. May be this is a lull before VW steps into India?

[navin]

Originally Posted by GTO

Does anyone feel that Skoda may have missed the boat? In 2007, the segment is more competitive than ever. In another three years, Honda and Toyota are sure to have cars in the 5 - 6 lakh priceband.

By 2 years. They should ahd the Fabia out in 2005. By mid-late 2008 both Honda and Toyota can be expected to have something to cater to the 6L segment. One step above the Getz and Swift.

An "fit for India FIT" is already in the works and I am sure an Indianised Yaris, Aygo, or even a Daihatsu will be under final stages of development. In fact has Toyota got in their Echo in 2005 they'd have usurped the market too.

Skoda as a brand will have no wiggle room left. Between the low cost onslaught of Maruti and Hyundai and the percieved value of the Japs wher does Skoda go? It cant price it self much higher (than the Japs) can it? will it?

[navin]

Originally Posted by WhiteKnight

Well, they did miss this boat. Not surprising, as their their "premium" boats are losing too. May be this is a lull before VW steps into India?

1. they did not expand manufacturing fast enough.
2. they went through a change in leadership in India and took too much time and energy just doing that.

This leads me to beleive that Skoda has not developed depth in their management. It says something about the commitment VW has to India.

[ac 427]

the fabia at 6.5 will be a good buy, because of
1) built quality
2) luxury car maker (here please dont give example of skoda not being a luxury car maker, in India they are, so end of conversation)
3) gr8 deisel / petorl engine.

even though it overlaps the saloon segment, this car will carve a niche for its own. Just like the way we predicted the laura will bomb, we are over reacting on the fabia pricing.

Like even after expensive pricing comparatively, the swift did well, at 5.5 lacs we are buying a hatch back.

Now the Skoda is offering a better / safer car at a higher price.

I personally think it will do well, but none the less the 2500 booking figure is surely exxxxxxxagerated

cheers.

[srishiva]

Saw a black one today on Mysore Road. What are they testing it for so long.

[Mpower]

If only Skoda could stick a boot to the Fabia and make it a sedan, they would be able to price it easily above the City and still be OK.

I am curious to see what engines will be offered. Considering that they are testing a lot in Bangalore, its probably not the 1.9TDI from the Octy. The next step down is the 1.4 TDI 3 cylinder which is a FE champ.