Volkswagen has just unveiled the Ameo compact sedan which will go on sale by around August 2016. This new vehicle will become the entry-level VW model in India.
Volkswagen has just unveiled the Ameo compact sedan which is the first sub 4-metre sedan for Volkswagen. The vehicle has been designed specifically for the Indian market and will be produced at the automaker’s Chakan based facility. Based on the PQ25 platform, the Ameo shares its wheelbase with the Polo which means the rear seat space will be the same as well! But that’s not all, it also shares most of its parts with the Polo including the design, engine, features, etc.
Powering the Volkswagen Ameo is a 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder, MPI petrol engine that belts out 74 BHP of power and 110 Nm of torque, matched to a 5-speed manual gearbox. The diesel motor is the 1.5-litre TDI unit that generates 89 BHP of power and 230 Nm, matched to a 5-speed gearbox. Volkswagen has confirmed that the Ameo will also be offered with a 7-speed DSG automatic transmission which means a more powerful tune of the 1.5L oil burner with 103 BHP and 250 Nm will be offered. There is no mention of the 1.2-litre TSI force-fed motor yet.
The Volkswagen Ameo will come with dual front airbags and ABS as standard on all variants. The German compact sedan gets a slew of segment unique features like a touchscreen multimedia system (with MirrorLink, voice control, iPod/Bluetooth connectivity and SMS viewer), rain sensing wipers, cruise control and static cornering lights. The car also gets a rearview camera with parking sensors, lane change indicator, electrically adjustable and foldable outside mirrors, rear AC vent, front centre arm rest, auto dimming IRVM and a cooled glovebox.
Volkswagen will launch the Ameo in the second half of 2016, by August. The vehicle will take on a slew of rivals in the compact sedan segment, most of which are well established like the Maruti Suzuki Swift DZire, Honda Amaze and Hyundai Xcent. The VW Ameo will also have to fight it out with the Tata Zest and Ford Figo Aspire. The price of the Volkswagen Ameo will be competitive and the vehicle will be positioned between the Polo and Vento in the company’s lineup.
