The Volkswagen compact sedan is likely to go on sale soon after the 2016 Auto Expo while the new generation Passat and Tiguan will also be making its debut in the country later this year.
Volkswagen India has officially confirmed that it will be showcasing three all-new models at the 13th edition of the Auto Expo that is scheduled to take place in a few weeks. Promising an exciting lineup, the automaker has announced the debut of its Indian Compact Sedan (ICS), all-new Tiguan premium SUV and Passat GTE plug-in hybrid sedan at the biennial event. All three models will be launched in India at a later date expanding the German auto giant’s portfolio by a considerable margin.
On the outset, the India specific Volkswagen compact sedan will see its world premiere at the expo and won’t be called Ameo as rumoured earlier. Based on the same platform as the Polo and Vento, the ICS will be sharing a host of components with its siblings while the design will see slight tinkering to visually differentiate itself, not to forget the truncated boot. Engine options will come from the Polo including 1.2-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engine options.
With no utility vehicle in an SUV loving market, Volkswagen will finally unveil the 2017 Tiguan for India that will be rivaling a host of offerings including the Hyundai Santa Fe, Toyota Fortuner, Ford Endeavour and the likes in the segment. The all-new Tiguan made its global debut in September last year and is based on the MQB platform. Loaded on a host of features and creature comforts, the SUV will be primarily offered with a diesel powertrain and is likely to come via the CKD route.
Volkswagen India will also showcase the new generation Passat GTE plug-in hybrid sedan at the Auto Expo which previews the new generation Passat sedan for India, which will be launched later this year. The Passat GTE draws power from a 1.4-litre TSI four-cylinder petrol motor producing 156 PS and is paired to an electric motor that pushes the cumulative power output to 218 PS and a driving range of 1000 kms. In all-electric driving, the Passat GTE can cover over 50 kms, the company states.
It is unclear as of now if Volkswagen will introduce the Passat GTE in India to rival the Toyota Camry Hybrid. In addition to the three all-new products, the Volkswagen stable will also display the on-sale product range including the new generation Beetle, Jetta, Vento, Polo and Cross Polo. We expect the automaker to announce the launch timelines for each of its new products starting with the compact sedan that is expected to go on sale soon after the expo.
