[Invinsible]

Well the price of the car is high as every part is import, none is made in india. It is all assembled here. Infact if one pops up the hood one would almost all parts saying made in Germany.
Obviously its the cost for the quality.
Fabia with 1.9 engine is gonna be completely different car. No doubt the price gonna be close to 10L but mind nothing comes close to car when handling on high speeds is concerned. Car drives rock stable at any given speed. Now, I have driven getz crdi, swift vdi, verna, honda city and none of this can come close to the way fabia drives on high speeds or the way it handles on twist and turns.
Am sure if once the parts are localised the price would deffinately come down. Most of the other cars have their major parts localised here in India. Now I wonder what it would be like if they start importing every part, whether its fiber, glass or metal. Any idea of their cost?

I have a Fabia Diesel and before choosing I tried every diesel in the market below 10L but the finish and ride and handling characteristic of any of them din't come close to what fabia delivers for its size. Having said that every car has a flaw and characteristics. We decide what our we looking out in the vehicle we looking for.
I happen to get my fabia remapped and must agree its a completely new car with short ratio gearbox its fun to drive around. It just pulls from 60 in 5th gear all the way to 160+ now in no time. Don't think would have enjoyed this in any other car less then 10L. Surely verna and getz crdi are fun but doubt whether their handling capabilities at speed above 120+.

Each one of us have our own perspective. But to be Honest I would be game for fabia 1.9 anyday and with a stage 2 remap close to 155hp. It would deffinately be smoking with 350NM of torque.

[WheelWake]

Few things:

A 1.9 diesel does not make much sense for indian roads and traffic except may be night driving or expressway. ALthough, I havent driven Verna/Getz CRDi but general perception is that the torque is a bit higher for the bod to manage. I am not sure how Fabia will handle such high torques.

Also,It might not be as efficient player as other Fabia siblings. But surely, driving enthusiasts will be more than happy have something like that in India.

Also, imported parts do/may have better quality but the exorbitant cost is due to high taxes. I dont think its directly related to the quality just the perception.

[joslicx]

Rs 10 lakh Fabia wont sell at all whatever the engine inside!

If Skoda can price 1.9 at 7 lakhs or so (OTR) then it might become interesting to some! However, knowing Skoda we can only dream...

[sriramv.iyer]

Originally Posted by joslicx

If Skoda can price 1.9 at 7 lakhs or so (OTR) then it might become interesting to some! However, knowing Skoda we can only dream...

I think top-end Fabia diesel is 9.3L in Bangalore -

Need I say more?

[theragingbull]

will the new engine be the one in the Fabia Sportline variant that's gonna be launched in May? I had seen that variant at the APS this year.Attaching some pics.

[ajnagpur]

Guys, Skoda is not here to sell mass market products. they dont sell cars for everyone like Maruti.

So whether the Fabia elegance TDI is for 9 lacs or the sport will come for 10 lacs. IT IS SELLING AND IT WILL SELL.

And the people who are willing to pay that much to buy a quality product will pay & buy.

[sriramv.iyer]

Originally Posted by ajnagpur

Guys, Skoda is not here to sell mass market products. they dont sell cars for everyone like Maruti.

So whether the Fabia elegance TDI is for 9 lacs or the sport will come for 10 lacs. IT IS SELLING AND IT WILL SELL.

And the people who are willing to pay that much to buy a quality product will pay & buy.

Skoda Fabia 1.2 MPI Petrol starts at INR 4,98,479 (ex showroom). I thought they wanted to sell to a lot of people but currently don't.

And for your quote 'It is selling' - It seems to contradict your previous statement that Fabia is not meant to sell (to a lot of people at least). FYI, It sold just 200 cars last month.

I am ready and willing to pay for a quality product. But, Skoda's pricing is simply a rip off. There is a point when the cost of owning a premium brand just crosses a threshold and becomes a rip off. If you don't think the price will get you, the servicing will. [Just check the forum for prices of spare parts of Skoda]

I don't like any manufacturer have 'Holier than though' attitude - Heck, the least of all Skoda. I agree they make good cars. I hope they price it well, and they do well in India. I still remember the Fabia thread when lots of people withdrew their bookings after paying 50K for booking(!!!). This was after the price was announced. I tend to disagree that those people do not appreciate 'quality'

The problem is aggravated by brand worship - I understand and appreciate that's the exact reason why brands are created. But, I just cannot stand when someone says Fabia's rearview mirrors didn't break when a truck 'intentionally' tried to hit it - Come on - Fabia is no Hummer (Even a Hummer breaks, as seen on a different thread involving an accident between a H2 and a Swift) - For people who read my previous statement in disbelief, I can only share your state of awe when I read that in one of the threads here.

I am only glad that these overpriced cars don't sell well, and we need to give constant feedback to the manufacturers that their pricing is incorrect. I loved it when my favorite iPhone was launched in India - But was just too shocked to hear its pricing [35 grands??] - I could have definitely bought the phone if I wanted to. But just kept off it because the pricing was a TOTAL rip off. And, thanks to brothers and sisters throughout the country with the same attitude, iPhone sold just about 4000 phones 3 months after their launch! That should drill some lesson to Apple India's heads.

PS:-
1. Boy, but do some companies learn? If you don't believe me, wait for pricing of i20 from Hyundai

2. I know iPhone @ 35K is value for some people - I respect their feelings, but disagree.

3. I know that the overpriced i10 is selling well. And, I don't like it

[ajnagpur]

Originally Posted by sriramv.iyer

I am ready and willing to pay for a quality product. But, Skoda's pricing is simply a rip off. There is a point when the cost of owning a premium brand just crosses a threshold and becomes a rip off. If you don't think the price will get you, the servicing will. [Just check the forum for prices of spare parts of Skoda]

I agree with you on this as I also think that Skoda's products are overpriced. They also realized it thats why they are localizing Fabia to bring down the parts pricing & to sell it more in numbers.

They are looking at Fabia to be their bread & butter.

[amit27]

There is a cooment on top of page saying that Skoda is expensive as all parts are imported and are good quality . I am sure after 60 years of independence we should get rid of this metality that all things made by white people are of high quality . Yes German cars MB, BMW , VW are good quality but is so Hyundai/ GM cars which are made in India

[joslicx]

Originally Posted by amit27

There is a cooment on top of page saying that Skoda is expensive as all parts are imported and are good quality . I am sure after 60 years of independence we should get rid of this metality that all things made by white people are of high quality . Yes German cars MB, BMW , VW are good quality but is so Hyundai/ GM cars which are made in India

I disagree dost. It does not matter if it is white or black people making things (especially cars) in Europe but there is a huge difference in quality. made in India is still mostly cheap and low-end (e.g. Maruti, Hyundai etc).

[ac 427]

Being Expensive is one thing, being arrogant is another. Indians never have a problem in paying more money for exclusivity.The fabia was a success even before it launched, people booked the car without even taking a TD of the same. They trusted the same becase of the 'build quality' story from Skoda. Earlier Skoda products never had any product issues (am not talking about A.S.S), so the customer expected the same from the Fabia. I mean they were paying more than 25% than for any other Hatchback. But there were product issues with the fabia, the noice, the ac, the mileage. . . and worse Skoda never acknowledged it. They iinfact were just too arrogant to even notice the same. And history has it. . in the Indian car industry there are no Phoenix.
The new fabia with a new engine will sell, but maybe 5 pieces a month, considering they are selling only 210 Odd pieces (nov sales) all over India. There were will v few people to spend 11 lacs on a failed Fabia.

I feel extremely sad that a potential success like the Fabia, failed badly just becase these goras were too uptight and thought throw any substandard product to the Indians and they will lap it up.

CHeers,
AC

[aseem]

Originally Posted by joslicx

I disagree dost. It does not matter if it is white or black people making things (especially cars) in Europe but there is a huge difference in quality. made in India is still mostly cheap and low-end (e.g. Maruti, Hyundai etc).

Sorry dost, but you too are made in India. I hope you dont consider yourself to be *cheap and low end*. Do you think job outsourced to India result in low quality, if you do, you are better of going to the la la land than being here in this country...

If you pay cheap, you get cheap. If Indian laborers are paid equialant to their European counterparts and have access to the same facilities, we are more than capable of producing high quality products. The problem is that most of these companies want to increase their bottom line by using cheap labor and not making state of the art facilities.

But seriously though, these are reminicents of the mental residue left on many ppl of the third world of being inferior. Everything chinese, indian, and even japanese was once considered crap. Now ppl want japanese goods, chinese goods have become more and more acceptable around the world, and soon attitude towards indian goods will change as well.

[ac 427]

Originally Posted by joslicx

I disagree dost. It does not matter if it is white or black people making things (especially cars) in Europe but there is a huge difference in quality. made in India is still mostly cheap and low-end (e.g. Maruti, Hyundai etc).

you are so mistaken its not even funny. Look at the quality in the Swift, the Sx4. Brother what generation are you living in ? The swift is as good as quality as the Fabia is. Another thing, the swift beat the fabia in customer appeal. A research done by JD power.

[ajnagpur]

Originally Posted by ac 427

The swift is as good as quality as the Fabia is.

Sorry Bhai. I dont think so.

Ask Pranav. He has got both Fabia & Swift.

[ac 427]

Originally Posted by ajnagpur

Sorry Bhai. I dont think so.

Ask Pranav. He has got both Fabia & Swift.

hmmm that might be one persons pov, find attached the link in which it is proven that more customers have the 'aha' factor when they buy the swift and not the Fabia.

2008 India APEAL Study | J.D. Power and Associates

cheers,
AC