VW India eyes 10-15% jump in Vento sales with new model

Volkswagen India today rolled out the new Vento sedan, the first of its five new models planned for launch over the next 24 months.

The Vento, first introduced in India in 2010, has till now sold 110,000 units in the domestic market and is a core product for the German carmaker. Between January and May 2015, the car sold 5,000 units. Now with the new edition, the company is looking to raise the car’s sales by another 10-15 percent. The diesel variants currently contribute the chunk of the sales at 67 percent with the petrol chipping in with 33 percent.

While the new Vento will be initially sold in the domestic market, it will subsequently be exported to Russia and Mexico after being customised for those markets.

The new Vento sedan, which makes its advent in India first, comes with a range of four-cylinder engines – the 1.6-litre MPI, 1.2 TSI with 7-speed DSG and 1.5 TDI engines with both 5-speed manual and 7-speed DSG automatic transmissions.

The car has a sticker price ranging between Rs 7.85 lakh for the petrol 1.6MPI (TL) and Rs 11.87 lakh for the diesel 1.5TDI DSG (ex-showroom Delhi). The Mumbai prices, however, start at Rs 770,000, almost lower by Rs 15,000. The new sedan will be available at showrooms across India starting today.

The new Vento gets two new colours (Titanium Beige and Carbon Steel) along with the existing four. On the safety front, the new Vento comes fitted with ABS in the Comfortline and Highline editions, ESP and hill-hold functions in DSG variants with dual airbags coming as a standard fitment in all editions.

While the 1.5-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-diesel develops 105bhp and 250Nm of torque, it delivers an ARAI-certified 21.50kpl; the 1.2 TSI delivers 18.19kpl. The 1.6 MPI engine gives 16.09kpl.

VW India claims fuel efficiency is up by 7 percent in the petrol variant and 2 percent in the diesel trim, thanks to frontal aerodynamic styling with the bonnet undergoing a change in addition to smoothening out of the air friction in the engine.

The changes in the new Vento include electrically foldable ORVMs with integrated LED turn indicators and more powerful front fog lamps with integrated cornering lights. The bonnet gets a front grille. In addition there are alloy wheels and chrome lining on the boot lid, exhaust tip and door handles. The cruise control mode is also now on offer in the sedan.

Speaking at the car's launch in New Delhi today, Michael Mayer, director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Volkswagen Group Sales India, said  that the company plans to launch 5 new models over the next 24 months. Along with the new Vento, these will include the entry level sub-4-metre sedan next year, the iconic Beetle will make a comeback to India, the eighth-generation Passat launched globally will also be brought to India, as well the premium Tiguan SUV. The Tiguan will be positioned in the higher SUV segment in India as well as a level above the small compact SUV, said Mayer.

The Tiguan is currently sold in Russia, Europe and the US in the higher segments and will be launched in India for the first time. “This year we will display it at the Frankfurt Motor Show,” he added. “The five new products will widen our product portfolio further in India.” At present, VW sells the Polo, Vento and Jetta in India. The carmaker is also looking to step up local content in its new crop of models to make them cost competitive.

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