German carmaker Volkswagen has revealed plans to launch its own pre-owned car business called Das WeltAuto in India in the first half of 2012. The company, which currently has 101 new car dealerships in the country, plans to initially launch two to three used car dealerships. Das WeltAuto will facilitate trading in of used cars of the Volkswagen Group as well as non-VW cars.

VW says the current slowdown in the Indian passenger car market is likely to see an upswing from the second half of 2012. The company expects a reversal of negative factors like high interest rates and rationalising of fuel prices.

According to Neeraj Garg, Volkswagen Group Sales India director (Member of Board) for its passenger cars division, the passenger car market in India in calendar year 2011 grew by 5.1 percent (from 2.166 million units in 2010 to 2.287 million units in 2011 while the entire automobile market grew by 13.6 percent (from 15 million to 17 million units).