[Beetle]

There has been talk in some of our over eager Auto magazines that VolksWagon is headed for india for some time now.
Actually It is surprising that VW has kept out for so long considering that *Honda, Toyota , GM,Ford , Daimler-Chrysler have set up shop here already.The indian auto market is growing fast and By keeping out , VW is missing a big piece of the pie!

VW's Golf is a premium hatch and could find a niche segment in the indian market.
Other models like Jetta and Passat could fit very well into the midsize and luxury segments respectively.

Another point to note is VW is going great guns in China. and is setting up more plants there :

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...how/729593.cms

Why do you think VW is not in india yet ? Or is it going to sell its chinese made VWs in India ?

-Beetle

[v12]

If VW has a manufacturing plant in China, it wud be cheaper to import the cars from China.
VW gettin the Golf here is what i doubt. It'll be too expensive.

[amit]

NEVER!!!!
The market here is too immature and VW , i guess has learnt from fiat and is intelligent enuff to keep away from the indian market. Our loss! we r stuck with the dingy , tiny korean and japanese cars and we think that we r getting the best in the world!

[satish_appasani]

Skoda is owned by Volkwagon and I believe Octavia shares the same platform with Golf and Zetta. Passat has lots of similarities with Octavia.

Originally Posted by [b

Quote[/b] ]If VW has a manufacturing plant in China, it wud be cheaper to import the cars from China.
VW gettin the Golf here is what i doubt. It'll be too expensive.

If they start importing cars from China, they have to pay more taxes to the Indian government and finally have to sell the car for more than double it's actual value.

[ajmat]

VW are not making much money, makes more sense to go the skoda way over here and expand China market for now. wasted too much money on the Phaeton and the Bugatti - done a good job on Bentley

[volkman10]

Volkswagen India's marketing team puts in papers, including director Neeraj Garg and head of sales Sandeep Mandrekar.

Volkswagen India's topmost marketing team has quit, and the company's newly-appointed CEO is poaching from rival Maruti to stem an alarming slide in sales and revive the carmaker's ambition of cornering a 10 per cent market share in the next two years.

Gerry Dorizas, dispatched from Japan to turn around the Indian operations, is believed to be cracking the whip and had approached the Maruti executives with job offers after Garg and Mandrekar decided to leave.

Cheers!

[M00M]

vw need to slash prices of its cars by upto a lac on the polo and vento and by about 3 lacs on the jetta and by 5 lacs on the passat and then they're sales will zoom like no tomorrow. why would indian customers pay for good cars at exorbitant prices when good cars are available from other manufacturers at a decent good affordable vfm price. wake up vw before the market turns you into another honda.

[iSpoke]

I don't see much impact of some top employees resigning on car re-pricing strategy.
The slowdown in automobile market (or even overall) is for everyone and sales heads are among the first to feel the heat within the company. Of course, there has to be a solution to keep the sales going by some ways of cost cutting which may include pay cut by top executives, incentive cuts by others, process refinements, etc. even if these measure wont help then we the customers are always there to supply substandard quality products which we (the mango people) were not aware before!

[AlphaKilo]

Originally Posted by iSpoke

I don't see much impact of some top employees resigning on car re-pricing strategy.
The slowdown in automobile market (or even overall) is for everyone and sales heads are among the first to feel the heat within the company. Of course, there has to be a solution to keep the sales going by some ways of cost cutting which may include pay cut by top executives, incentive cuts by others, process refinements, etc. even if these measure wont help then we the customers are always there to supply substandard quality products which we (the mango people) were not aware before!

Mods don't ban me for this OT:
I loved the part, We(the mango) People. Adding to it, We(the Mango) People, there to get (the Lemon) Car.

back to topic: Its not necessary that a sales head should resign, if the overall market is dull. What can he do to push up the economy? I believe, like what BMW did, must be some of their revamping strategies including cost cutting/perk cutting, that might not have gone well with those top guys, hence forcing them to resign.
I see no reason why should VW not do well in India if not for their "We are the German quality" attitude. Everbody here knows the German quality and thats why there is this mad rush for their polo, which is not even considered a car in Germany, but we are ready to 7-8lakhs for it and dont even get a electronically adjustable mirrors.

[arjab]

VW need to get the contents and fitments in their car right.
For a 18 - odd - lakh - on - road - Jetta TSi one does not even get auto climate control and a USB port.
However you may beat your German drum tom-tomming German build quality and damped glovebox release etc some of features like USB etc have become acccording to consumers almost an hygiene factor and no longer considered to be a unique selling point. So every OEM has to align their vehicle specs accordingly - otherwise there's serious risk of losing sales.

Going a bit here : the company that has seized the "indian consumer psyche" to its bones is Hyundai. It's cars are nothing earth shattering. Dynamically and mechanically they are most average.
Hyundai just loads them up to the gills, ensures that all customer "touch & feel" areas inside the vehicles feel really nice and now have they have started clothing the vehicles in sexy bodies too - and hey presto you have a makings of a winner !

[methilsunkara]

Skoda Rapid which is manufactured at VW Chakan sold 3200 units in June whereas Polo and Vento sold 2500 units each. The Rapid is cheaper and feels more value for money than the vento. So maybe VW needs to tweak their cars and freshen them up a bit. They also need a proper 4 cylinder diesel and petrol for the hatchback segment.

[kailashnj]

Originally Posted by arjab

the company that has seized the "indian consumer psyche" to its bones is Hyundai. It's cars are nothing earth shattering. Dynamically and mechanically they are most average.
Hyundai just loads them up to the gills, ensures that all customer "touch & feel" areas inside the vehicles feel really nice and now have they have started clothing the vehicles in sexy bodies too - and hey presto you have a makings of a winner !

That a perfect analysis that you have here. Hyundai even with its boat handling is selling more cars than the German who has one of the best handling cars.

It because of the very good packaging and meeting all customer expectations.

[AlphaKilo]

Now that MB has finally decided to bring in their A and B into India, I would say, VW should plan to launch their most successful and most loved car, the golf here to compete the A/B and the Mini. Well, since there is no plans from BMW to bring their 1 or the audis to get in their A1(well VW could pitch that one in too!). I am sure with Golf/A1 in the market, they can surely dominate the premium hatch/MUV segment or even push the MB to rethink their A/B prices, that is if and only if VW want to be bit more aggressive and more risk taking. I am sure, even in our forum there are more than enough people who would love to buy the Golf if its launched in around 12-15 lakhs range.