Mexico is turning into a major export destination for Volkswagen India. Earlier today, the German carmaker shipped its 100,000^th car built for Mexico. The milestone comes less than two years after starting export to the North American country which sees good demand for the Made-In-Chakan Volkswagen Vento and Polo cars.  

The red Vento, powered with a 1.6-litre MPI engine, was shipped from Mumbai Port to Mexico on the vessel Höegh Asia. The landmark  export car to Mexico embarked upon its seven-week journey after being flagged off by Carsten Goransch, executive director – Logistics, Volkswagen India; Carsten Steinicke, logistics, Volkswagen India; Tore Listad, head of Region South Asia and Africa, Höegh Autoliners AS; Karolath Gopinath, head of Area Indian Sub-Continent, Höegh Autoliners AS; Yashodhan Wanage, deputy chairman, Mumbai Port Trust and Suvir Mishra, Commissioner of Customs (Export), Mumbai.

Commenting on the export landmark, Carsten Goransch said, “Highest quality is in the DNA of Volkswagen around the world. We, in Pune, have been building world class cars which have resulted in high demand for our products in the global market. The 100,000^th car that we have shipped to Mexico today is a testimony to this fact.”

Rising exports to Mexico

Volkswagen India began exporting cars to Mexico less than two years ago, starting with the Vento sedan which replaced the outgoing Jetta Classico in the Mexican market. The ‘Made-in-India Vento’ climbed the sales charts in Mexico rapidly and is already in the top three most sold cars in Mexico in the first half of 2015. It is also the highest sold Volkswagen in Mexico at the moment.

Complementing the success of Vento since late-2014 is the Polo, which is also being built at the Volkswagen Pune Plant. Nearly every second car produced in the year 2014 at the Volkswagen Pune Plant was shipped to this single largest export market for Volkswagen India.

Volkswagen India exports the Polo and Vento in right-hand as well as left-hand drive versions to over 32 countries in Asia, Africa and North America. Starting with the first single export market, South Africa in 2011, the carmaker has been able to ramp-up the export business to form a second strong leg of its business operations. 

Photograph: L-R: VW India’s Carsten Goransch and Carsten Steinickeen; Höegh Autoliners’ Tore Listad and Karolath Gopinath, Yashodhan Wanage, deputy chairman, Mumbai Port Trust, and Suvir Mishra, Commissioner of Customs (Export), Mumbai, with the 100,000^th export car for Mexico.