[ravi@64bhp]

Skoda Fabia lauch is postponed till AutoExpo '08. Skoda initially planned to launch arond November of this year, but they are pushing the lauch till february '08 to get better exposure.
Here is the news:

:: AUTOCAR INDIA - CAR AND BIKE MAGAZINE ::

[theMAG]

They'll need all the exposure they can get if they're to sell a few numbers of their highly premium Swift-resembling hatch for the estimated Rs 7.5-8.5 lakhs price.

[devarshi84]

can we officially call it India's latest car? How long has it been postponed?

[LLL]

Bad move IMO. Will they get exposure after the launch of 10 other models? Gurus did not come up with "First to market" concept for nothing.

Hpoefully when they launch this, they will have to also compete with swift sedan, fiat gp, aveo diesel, santro/getz deisel and hopefully VW Jetta . Lets see how much market exposure they get then...

[sandeep_gopinat]

Bad bad move.. Skoda is really testing patience of wud be 'buyers'.. And that too stepping on red hot rock (fiat gp).. thumbs down to you.. skoda...

[speedy]

Originally Posted by devarshi84

can we officially call it India's latest car? How long has it been postponed?

i hate this waiting game. skoda might be trying to get as much exposure as possible but the delay is just gonna cost them in sales. people do loose interest after prolonged delays. i can talk about myself i waited to buy the fabia for my cousin who wanted a small car and now i would just go ahead and buy some other car. so one client lost. there must be many more like me who would just go ahead and buy another brand as you then are not sure if skoda would launch the car after the expo or further delay it.

[V-16]

Well skoda is up to its old tricks again. We can nick name the Fabia as the oldest new comer

[vikram_d]

Originally Posted by theMAG

They'll need all the exposure they can get if they're to sell a few numbers of their highly premium Swift-resembling hatch for the estimated Rs 7.5-8.5 lakhs price.

How's the exposure going to help them when people have lost patience. I mean it is a vehicle which a huge number of people have seen on the roads in one form or another.

Originally Posted by V-16

Well skoda is up to its old tricks again. We can nick name the Fabia as the oldest new comer

The oldest new comer. Very aptly said.

[theMAG]

Originally Posted by vikram_d

How's the exposure going to help them when people have lost patience. I mean it is a vehicle which a huge number of people have seen on the roads in one form or another.

I think they figure that a car looks different under lights and in a controlled environment especially when its not the same blue-green color that their mule was sporting

[vkochar]

This is ridiculous, I had been waiting to buy this car for long for my Mom. Wanted to get her an expensive hatch, but Skoda is out of their minds. Me not waiting anymore. Will probably buy the Swift Zxi or wait for the New Santro ( PA ).

I thought they were launching the Fabia around Sep - Oct. But this is again too long. Tata's 1 Lac Car I can understand the delay but not a car which has been selling for so long abroad. Simply Stupid on Skoda's Part I feel IMO. Cheers !!!

[amit]

Could it be possible that VW is arm twisting Skoda into delaying and possibly scrapping plans to launch the Fabia?

If, after the auto show, Skoda starts talking about poor response to the Fabia then we will know for sure whats going on behind the scenes.

[GTO]

Well, the Expo will give them better exposure, wont it? I am not worried about yet another delay as I am about the pricing. Hope they price it competitively.

Originally Posted by devarshi84

can we officially call it India's latest car? How long has it been postponed?

Good one!

[iraghava]

Originally Posted by amit

Could it be possible that VW is arm twisting Skoda into delaying and possibly scrapping plans to launch the Fabia?

Well they couldn't have been arm twisting them for the past 8-9 years!! I think it's just Skoda that's been shooting itself in the foot, year after year.

And even today we don't know when it is actually going to be launched while the bigger question of Pricing & whether it will be worth it or not still remain unanswered.

[vikram_d]

VW arm twisting Skoda. Please explain.

[MaserQ]

Originally Posted by theMAG

They'll need all the exposure they can get if they're to sell a few numbers of their highly premium Swift-resembling hatch for the estimated Rs 7.5-8.5 lakhs price.

Skoda has to take a long hard look at the above figures and return to the real world.