Volkswagen plans to launch the original 'people's car' Beetle in India by October and the Polo hatchback by early next year.
Unfazed by the ongoing slump in auto sales, luxury car maker Volkswagen plans to launch the original 'people's car' Beetle in India by October and the Polo hatchback by early next year.
Besides, the auto player would continue with its plan to invest Rs 3,600 crore in its Pune plant in India, keeping up with its earlier decision of augmenting its production capacity.
"We will launch the Beetle by the end of October. We have no plans to alter our decision to invest Rs 3,600 crore in India," Volkswagen India-Project head Ludwig Geerken said.
He added, "We will start making the Polo in our Pune plant... by January and launch it by March next year. Production will start a little earlier so that we can keep enough inventories with our dealers."
Without giving details on the pricing for the Polo, Geerken said, "It will be competitively priced with other cars in that category".
While the Polo will be made locally, the Beetle will be brought as completely built unit (CBU) in India.
The auto maker at present has a manufacturing facility in Pune from where group company Skoda makes its premium hatchback Fabia.
Aiming at a 10 per cent market share in India in the next 5-6 years, Volkswagen would strengthen its product portfolio in the country with the introduction of the notchback version of its small car Polo by the middle of next year.
The passenger car sales in the Indian market for the 2007-08 fiscal stood at 12,03,531 units.
Explaining the reason for not deferring its plans despite sluggish auto sales, he said, "Some of the investment has already gone in for making the Polo and return on that is important for us."
The company currently sells the Passat, Jetta and other cars in the country.
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