Volkswagen Jetta Brand India Launch Under Consideration

The new brand caters to the entry-level market

Volkswagen is currently looking into the possibility of launching its Jetta brand in India in a few years’ time.

Launched last year in China, by Volkswagen in collaboration with FAW Group, it was the first time in the firm’s history that a car got transformed into a brand with a proprietary model family.

All cars under the Volkswagen Jetta brand are produced by FAW-Volkswagen at their Chengdu factory and serve as an entry-point to the Volkswagen family, giving buyers the opportunity to upgrade to the premium German brand in the future.

Having been too quiet in India in recent times, Volkswagen and Skoda came together to form Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited. Now, the entity, under its India 2.0 plan, wants to revive its fortunes in the country.

While it is working on new models such as compact SUVs from both Skoda and Volkswagen, apart from the next-generation C-segment sedans, among others, it looks like the bosses at Volkswagen do not want the group to go too mainstream.

Launching the Jetta brand would ensure that Skoda and Volkswagen remain premium automakers, while first-time car buyers can still be lured in under the Jetta brand.

At present, the German carmaker is studying opportunities to start production of some models under the Jetta brand in India, with the aim of exporting them to other emerging markets.

The group is looking to further expand production and better utilise its facilities in the country by making budget cars, while also catering to the taxi segment in India and other emerging Asian markets.

But, according people in the know, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India has, for now, set its eyes firmly on its India 2.0 strategy, with no possible changes to the brand strategy. So the introduction of the Jetta brand, if at all it happens, might be sometime away.