[humyum]

With a rear engined car along with the cooling factors isnt an engine in the front an added safety factor in case of a frontal collision?Atleast u have a bulky metal chunk along with the gearbox bla bla to to protect u from the opposite vehicle comin right onto u.Just my opinion.

[highwayblaze]

Originally Posted by theMAG

I never would have guessed they were loss making.

The problem is the Euro is doing better than the dollar. So the cars are more expensive no matter how hard they try + reliability issues so they've running into decent losses. Audi's sell well here becoz they're supposed to be expensive BUT VW's don't.

[StarScream]

Originally Posted by ajmat

Is this the shape of things to come, or a return to Volkswagen's roots? The UP! concept is a bit of both. The minicar prototype "is what the Volkswagen brand has stood for since it started," declared the automaker's CEO, Martin Winterkorn, "affordable mobility for everybody."

Though the four-seater on display at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show is only a concept vehicle, company officials did little to hide the fact that something very similar will be hitting the highways, most likely by the 2010 model year.

VW will participate at the Delhi Auto Expo in Jan. for the first time. They will showcase the UP! They plan to announce more India launches:

Volkswagen, Europe’s largest car maker will mark its maiden entry at the Auto Expo to be held early next year with a display of its latest range of product line. Volkswagen’s pavilion in Hall No. 12 at the Pragati Maidan, spread over a total area of 1600 square metres will display German engineering at its best.

The formidable showcase will include Volkswagen’s premium sedan the Passat which is already rolling on the India roads since its launch in September 2007. Along with the Passat, Volkswagen will also showcase its luxury SUV Touareg well-known for its impeccable blend of off- and on-road capabilities.

Another product from the Volkswagen stable which will capture the imagination of Indian car enthusiasts is the popular Jetta, known for its beauty and elegance. With its streamlined silhouette, distinctive design, and sporty yet graceful appeal, the Volkswagen Jetta is one of the finest compact saloons amidst many.

The product range from the company at the Expo will represent Volkswagen’s creativity, innovation and quality. The show will also be the platform for Volkswagen’s announcement of its upcoming models for the Indian market. The essence of the event will be captured in presenting Volkswagen’s concept car UP!, throwing light on the brilliance of technical juxtaposition with the faculty of imagination.

The Volkswagen Group had earlier this year set up its new subsidiary, Volkswagen Group Sales India Private Limited to run the operations in India. The company has initially established its dealer network in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore and will gradually expand to other Indian cities. Volkswagen intends to set up more than 10 Volkswagen dealerships across the country by the end of 2008.

[khanak]

Volkswagen has been struggling here in the US, but in emerging markets the German automaker is among the best. VW has been a big player in China since way before it was cool, and now Mr. Winterkorn and co. are focusing their attention on the booming India market. VW is planning on producing 240,000 vehicles per year in India by 2012, and it's using two small cars to supply much of the volume. The size and price of the Polo compact and the upcoming Up! minicar are perfect for the India market, and Europe's largest automaker plans on building both vehicles at its new plant in Chakan. Up! will go head to head with its low-cost Indian market competition with a price tag in the $7,500 price range.

The Passat has already been on sale in India since November, the next generation Jetta and the ultra-luxury Phaeton are scheduled to hit India's VW dealerships in the next couple years. With VW's vast expertise making and selling its cars in low-cost markets, the company that created the original Beetle has a great chance to make hay in the land of Gandhi and the Taj Mahal.

Volkswagen to build Up! in India - Autoblog

[GTO]

The key to the UPs success will really be pricing. European car makers have always had a tough time keeping costs under control, irrespective of where they build the car. Somehow, the value engineering capabilities of Japanese (and now Indian) car makers havent been replicated. Look at the Logans pricing! For all of its cheap car image and hype, it ended up significantly more expensive than the Indigo. And thats after compromising on some really basic features like boot release, fuel-specific rpm meters and more.

If they are already talking of a 3.3 lakh price, what is the actual on-road going to be? 4.xx lacs?

[iraghava]

When VW/Skoda venture into the smaller car segments the thing that they have to get right come what may is going to be cost. They can't do Skoda typre pricing in the B-segment & expect bumper sales. Also, the cost of maintenance has to go down too as buyer's of small cars don't look kindly on cars that are expensive to maintain.

[amit]

Originally Posted by StarScream

Another product from the Volkswagen stable which will capture the imagination of Indian car enthusiasts is the popular Jetta, known for its beauty and elegance. With its streamlined silhouette, distinctive design, and sporty yet graceful appeal, the Volkswagen Jetta is one of the finest compact saloons amidst many.

There were spy pics of the Jetta in OD but it wasn't the North Ameican Jetta. It looked very Chinese in it's design and the rear seemed like it was from the 1980's. Did anyone of you see those pics? Seems like VW are planning to rip us off like their cousin Skoda. They will probably brand the Polo sedan the Jetta, price it with NHC and SX4 and tell us, " look we are so serious about India that we are selling the Jetta that competes with Civic and Corolla abroad at SX4/NHC prices." Few months later they will probably launch the actual Jetta with some other name and price it's variants little higher then the Skoda Laura variants.

[amit]

Originally Posted by amit

There were spy pics of the Jetta in OD but it wasn't the North Ameican Jetta. It looked very Chinese in it's design and the rear seemed like it was from the 1980's. Did anyone of you see those pics? Seems like VW are planning to rip us off like their cousin Skoda. They will probably brand the Polo sedan the Jetta, price it with NHC and SX4 and tell us, " look we are so serious about India that we are selling the Jetta that competes with Civic and Corolla abroad at SX4/NHC prices." Few months later they will probably launch the actual Jetta with some other name and price it's variants little higher then the Skoda Laura variants.

I take that back. OD has printed a clarification in their latest issue that the Polo Classic sedan was mistaken for the Jetta. But I still feel that the Jetta will be priced in Civic, Corolla, Optra territory.

[iraghava]

Originally Posted by amit

But I still feel that the Jetta will be priced in Civic, Corolla, Optra territory.

I don't think so Amit, for the simple reason that if they price the Passat against the C/3/A4, I don't know how they can price the Jetta at 11-12L levels. IMO it's going to be probably priced above the Accord & below the Superb since that seems to be the logical price considering their strategy till now.

[amit]

Originally Posted by iraghava

I don't think so Amit, for the simple reason that if they price the Passat against the C/3/A4, I don't know how they can price the Jetta at 11-12L levels. IMO it's going to be probably priced above the Accord & below the Superb since that seems to be the logical price considering their strategy till now.

You have a point. Even in North America, the Jetta is priced slightly higher then Civic and Corolla although the higher price gets justified to some extent because even the base Jetta comes more loaded then the Japanese cars.

I think they will price the petrol Jetta (my guess: with the outdated 1.8L Turbo) slightly less then Laura Ambiente. This will give them an oppurtunity to scream "New VW Jetta starting from ONLY Rs.xx.xx lacs."

[iraghava]

Originally Posted by amit

I think they will price the petrol Jetta (my guess: with the outdated 1.8L Turbo) slightly less then Laura Ambiente. This will give them an oppurtunity to scream "New VW Jetta starting from ONLY Rs.xx.xx lacs."

Probably, but my take on the issue is VW is being projected as a car maker higher above Skoda in prestige terms so how can they price a car based on the same platform on the Laura cheaper than the Laura??

Something doesn't fit here.

[ashutoshb]

Originally Posted by GTO

If they are already talking of a 3.3 lakh price, what is the actual on-road going to be? 4.xx lacs?

Don't you think, even at 4.xx it will be far better built than a similarly priced Indian/Korean car?

[highwayblaze]

Originally Posted by GTO

European car makers have always had a tough time keeping costs under control, irrespective of where they build the car.

I have to agree with that and in addition also feel that, although it isn't , VW projects an image of premium car. I guess its a part of being a German automaker that owns Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley etc. I'd leave my thought to that wondering whether it really IS a premium car maker and will this car sell well if priced high.

[amit]

Originally Posted by iraghava

Probably, but my take on the issue is VW is being projected as a car maker higher above Skoda in prestige terms so how can they price a car based on the same platform on the Laura cheaper than the Laura??

Something doesn't fit here.

Yes, VW is more upmarket then Skoda but it's the Petrol Jetta against the Diesel Laura. Also, VW may knock off some not so easily noticeable features like rain sensing wipers, part assist, cruise control which, I believe, the Laura Ambiente has. Doesn't it?

The trick would be to get people into the showroom thinking that they can buy a VW thats cheaper then Laura. Once the prospective customers are inside, they could be switched into the more expensive diesel simply because it's a VW and German.

I would do that if I was the VW India chief .

[GTO]

Originally Posted by ashutoshb

Don't you think, even at 4.xx it will be far better built than a similarly priced Indian/Korean car?

Define better built? If you mean a door that makes a "thud" sound when it shuts, yes. But to buyers from the 4 - 5 lakh segment, better built means consistent reliability coupled with good fuel efficiency, value-priced spares and low cost of ownership. The Getz is far better built than the Swift; we all know how that played out. I remember posting this to N_Cracy once.......between my erstwhile C180 and my OHC Vtec, which is better built? A C Class that is ultra-solid but consistently broke down? Or the flimsy ol' Honda City which just works on and on without a complaint.

To me, the reliable product is better built. And I dont think the Japs and Koreans are going to lose the supreme reliability game just yet. If VW get one of their delicious diesel engines, then they have a match.