Skoda developing new Honda City rival for India with heavy localisation.
Early this year Skoda revealed the Vision IN compact SUV concept. It is specifically being developed for the Indian market with heavy localisation. They are also working on Skoda ANB sedan for our country.
The C-segment sedan is based on the same modular MQB A0 IN platform. It’ll get heavily localised by up to 95 percent localisation in India. This means aggressive pricing and low maintenance cost.
Likely to replace the Skoda Rapid which just got updated with a new engine. We believe it is a stop gap measure until the ANB sedan arrives in 2021.
Yes, Skoda India boss Zac Hollis has confirmed it’ll be launched before 2021 end. Moreover, he has seen the new sedan in person. He says it is absolutely fantastic to look at.
We can expect the international-spec Rapid design inspiration for the new sedan. Even the interior might look similar to what we’ve seen in Vision IN concept. The compact SUV’s production version will be called Skoda Kliq.
The Czech carmaker needs to get the pricing right for the ANB sedan. The C-segment space is a tough nut to crack. Most importantly, Skoda won’t have a diesel engine option. They need to prepare an attractive package for the sedan.
The sedan will get the same 1.0-litre TSI turbo petrol engine option. It generates 110 PS and 175 Nm of torque in its current state of tune. They might tune it higher for the new sedan.
1.5-litre TSI is a possibility too. Skoda is likely to export the mid-size sedan to other markets as well from India. We can expect features like 8-inch infotainment, wireless charging, sunroof, 360 degree camera, LED headlights, etc.
On the other hand, Skoda is betting big on the Vision IN production version. It is expected to arrive in the first half of 2021. Meanwhile, Volkswagen is also preparing to launch the Taigun compact SUV next year.
Skoda ANB Sedan
– Skoda’s new Rapid successor under development
– Will be based on MQB A0 IN platform
– India launch confirmed for 2021 end
Source – AutoX.com