[kingpin1]

Looks a lot like the Manza

[Abhi_Automobile]

Looks a lot like the Manza

With due respect, neither the Lines nor the VENTO look like either DZire or Manza. Both DZire and Manza seem to have their boots attached by FEVICOL.

[AyAn!]

Originally Posted by xingamazon

But what VW is trying here is to put a Box to the Polo, which according to price falls in lower end of premium hatch. and make it a premium sedan, I mean to extent of challenging guys like City, Corrolla. Which is where I have some reservations.

So you have reservations with the Vento,but you don't seem have a reservation with the Jetta which is also a Golf with a boot and a segment higher than the Vento! When a car looks the part and is capable enough compared to its competitors,I don't understand why its roots should cause a problem. Why go all the way to develop an all new model from grounds-up, when you already have a capable platform in your international portfolio to build things upon?!

And regarding the frontal looks,I feel this is the best VW could have done.The Vento comes with a different air-dam and round fog lamps.Changing the front bumper,grille and playing with the headlamp lenses is what most manufacturers do in similar cases(Manza,DZire).And,I don't think that a few extra chrome slats on the grille will make today's educated buyer see through the whole thing!

[xingamazon]

Originally Posted by AyAn!

So you have reservations with the Vento,but you don't seem have a reservation with the Jetta which is also a Golf with a boot

I never said I am OK with the Jetta being sold that way, I am quiet about Jetta cos Golf is not being sold here. Again this is just my opinion.

I do understand your point. May be you are right.

But given an option I would rather request these companies to reengineer their premium sedans by removing their boots and give a low priced hatch to the market. Than add a boot to a low priced hatch and make it a premium sedan
If they are so capable of reengineering a product.

[AyAn!]

Originally Posted by xingamazon

I never said I am OK with the Jetta being sold that way, I am quiet about Jetta cos Golf is not being sold here. Again this is just my opinion.

The Golf should hit Indian roads pretty soon,hopefully!

Originally Posted by xingamazon

But given an option I would rather request these companies to reengineer their premium sedans by removing their boots and give a low priced hatch to the market. Than add a boot to a low priced hatch and make it a premium sedan
If they are so capable of reengineering a product.

Again,you can't have solid,robust German engineering at dirt cheap prices isn't it? .I'm sure that the Vento will be worth the extra dough! See,that's how the Indian market works with its tax structure, policies and maturity.Compact sedans fly off showrooms,and I'm sure VW deserves a piece of the pie with its soundly engineered Vento!

[goacom]

Well even the current Passat is based on the prior gen. Golf platform. Does that mean that you don't like the Passat as well? What about the Laura. It too is based on the Golf platform.

Originally Posted by xingamazon

I never said I am OK with the Jetta being sold that way, I am quiet about Jetta cos Golf is not being sold here. Again this is just my opinion.

I do understand your point. May be you are right.

But given an option I would rather request these companies to reengineer their premium sedans by removing their boots and give a low priced hatch to the market. Than add a boot to a low priced hatch and make it a premium sedan
If they are so capable of reengineering a product.

[xingamazon]

Originally Posted by AyAn!

Again,you can't have solid,robust German engineering at dirt cheap prices isn't it? .I'm sure that the Vento will be worth the extra dough! See,that's how the Indian market works with its tax structure, policies and maturity.Compact sedans fly off showrooms,and I'm sure VW deserves a piece of the pie with its soundly engineered Vento!

Originally Posted by goacom

Well even the current Passat is based on the prior gen. Golf platform. Does that mean that you don't like the Passat as well? What about the Laura. It too is based on the Golf platform.

Guys, I guess you are getting me wrong again, I am not saying Passat is bad not is any of Skoda. I am not even telling that I dont like it etc.

My only point is why add a sedan to a mid priced hatch and try to sell as a premium vehicle.

Now that my point is misunderstood by all, I guess I better keep quite so that people stick to the topic of the thread. Sorry for the resulting misunderstanding

[Thad E Ginathom]

My only point is why add a sedan to a mid priced hatch and try to sell as a premium vehicle.

If you mean that there is no reason that the "sedan" version of a car should be considered any more "premium" than the hatch version of the same vehicle, I agree entirely. Same thing, slightly different shape.

On the other hand, if it is to be marketed that way, it should be more like a smaller Jetta than a different-shape Polo. If they give it better equipment, a touch more luxury, then that might justify "premium". Not just its shape.

Anyway... I think "premium" is a much over-used word in the Indian car market, and we'd do well to forget it, and just see a continuing variety of models at different prices.

What is "premium"? Price? Performance? Luxury?

[JJames]

Looking into the facts, pls take time to look into this minor examination of the leading <20lacs cars in Indian market, based on the spec sheets available from their respective official websites. We have always heard VW to have hugely over-priced & over-stated cars, especially by people who have used it abroad & returned. Well, the spec sheet speaks for itself: The Jetta produces a puny 102PS&148NM torque (1.6L PETROL) & marginally better 110PS&250NM for its 2.0 diesel. Before making any conclusions from it, see the Power to Weight ratio & Power*Torque-to-Weight ratio (Taking Max. absolute values for a reference), we could see that the figures that Jetta produces are even more pathetic!
In these figures alone, it is not even a match for an SX4/Fiesta/Verna, those coming at half its price: forget the Corollas & Civic & Laura...even ANHC

This is proof that we have about the ridiculous over-pricing by VW in India: they just assuming that we Indians would just fall for (& pay a premium) even for a bullock-cart with a "VW" logo on it!
Now, even if its so called "best-in-class" ride quality, parts quality & luxury may be accounted for, the most this car should have been priced should have been a touch over City /Touch under Corolla,Civic.
This being the case, VW would find it really tough to price the Vento (with estimated figures of ~105bhp, which is similar to Jetta!).

[pnredkar]

Originally Posted by xingamazon

Guys, I guess you are getting me wrong again, I am not saying Passat is bad not is any of Skoda. I am not even telling that I dont like it etc.

My only point is why add a sedan to a mid priced hatch and try to sell as a premium vehicle.

Now that my point is misunderstood by all, I guess I better keep quite so that people stick to the topic of the thread. Sorry for the resulting misunderstanding

No need to be sorry. You have stated your opinion.

I would agree with you if the boot has been added as an "after-thought". However, I am completely fine with it if the platform has been designed "simultaneously" keeping both the requirements in mind (which I hope and think is the case with Polo hatch and Polo sedan).

- Prasad.

[JJames]

Originally Posted by pnredkar

No need to be sorry. You have stated your opinion.

I would agree with you if the boot has been added as an "after-thought". However, I am completely fine with it if the platform has been designed "simultaneously" keeping both the requirements in mind (which I hope and think is the case with Polo hatch and Polo sedan).

- Prasad.

FYI. Polo hatch was conceived in 1975 and never had a sedan model till now (& only for markets like India & Russia). So the question of "simultaneous" design is out of question.

[Guna]

@abhi
Do you think there will be AT
version of 1.6 petrol (Polo hatch)?

[Abhi_Automobile]

Do you think there will be AT
version of 1.6 petrol (Polo hatch)?

Well, there is no official info on the same. The only official info is that the VENTO 1.6 Petrol will have auto (which is strange as I believe autos work best with diesel in Indian context). Even that seems to be sequential torque converted auto and not DSG.

My personal pick is that the POLO 1.6 will NOT have an auto. It will spiral the price too high for anybody to afford it. Look at it this way, the POLO 1.6 will be costlier than POLO1.2 Highline. if the auto were to be launched, it will be even costlier. What price are Indians ready to pay for a hatchback? (no matter how good it is). 8 lakhs ex. No way! Most people will buy VENTO base sedan at that price (or try stretching for ANHC).

[xingamazon]

Originally Posted by JJames

This is proof that we have about the ridiculous over-pricing by VW in India: they just assuming that we Indians would just fall for (& pay a premium) even for a bullock-cart with a "VW" logo on it!
Now, even if its so called "best-in-class" ride quality, parts quality & luxury may be accounted for, the most this car should have been priced should have been a touch over City /Touch under Corolla,Civic.
This being the case, VW would find it really tough to price the Vento (with estimated figures of ~105bhp, which is similar to Jetta!).

Hi James, nice to see you have put your point across along with data. I do agree to your point its actually overpriced compared to other country.

But again, I am sure what responses you would get for your post. People would say if there are people who want to pay the price for VW how does that bother you.

We have to accept it, their cars are not selling VFM but for the passion on the brand. But anyone who buys them dont care, as they do so for the build quality yada yada, which they normally claim.
It will all be time which would reply to these questions as far as India is concerned.

[carfanatic007]

Originally Posted by CARDEEP

Pre-launch bookings are actually becoming a norm in India, especially in the realty sector. But, it was the auto sector where such gimmicks were seen to start with. I remember a dealer in Delhi had to deal with Sikh family that wanted the first Indica in Delhi to be delivered to them & were ready to buy the display car with the dealer at premium. My friend bough the 2nd ZMA (after unsuccessful bidding for 1st ZMA) when ZMA was launched (it is a different story that he switched to P180 later).

I guess VW (or probably few of its dealers) are capitalising on this Indian euphoria about the affordable European car.

Yeah in Bangalore some ppl have already booked the Vento