Volkswagen is planning to introduce the Taigun compact SUV in India, based on the extended Up! NSF (New Small Family) platform. The Volkswagen Taigun was showcased at the Sao Paulo International Motor Show in Brazil in October last year, hinting the future design language of the German automaker’s SUV lineup. The Taigun measures just under the 4-metre mark and features a 3-cylinder turbocharged 1.0-litre petrol motor, which is good for 108 BHP of maximum power output. Volkswagen is planning a tweaked Taigun in terms of engine and size for the Indian market.
Currently, the Taigun is said to have a small engine bay, which could not accommodate a 4-cylinder engine but Volkswagen could modify the engine bay for the Indian market to plonk in a new 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder diesel engine, which is currently under development for India. Apart from the 4-cylinder unit, Volkswagen is also considering a 3-cylinder 1.4-litre diesel motor for Indian roads. As the NSF platform has been sculpted exclusively for front-wheel drive layout, the Taigun will unfortunately not get a four -wheel drive version but will feature electronic stability program.
Volkswagen will be developing the Taigun initially for South America and will eventually introduce the compact SUV in India but not before 2016. The Taigun will get tailor-made treatment for Indian roads and could be stretched closer to the 4-metre mark with a further increase in wheelbase from the current 2470 mm offering more cabin space. The German automaker will be localizing the Taigun heavily in India as it will help them in positioning the Up! hatchback, saloon and other offerings based on the same platform. The Skoda badged Taigun SUV will be positioned under the Volkswagen Taigun in India.
Source – LiveMint
