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New Delhi, Mar 4 () Auto maker Volkswagen India on Thursday launched BS VI compliant versions of premium hatchback Polo and mid-sized sedan Vento, priced between Rs 5.82 and Rs 13.29 lakh (ex-showroom).The company has introduced the models with new range of petrol powertrains.The new Polo is powered by MPI and TSI petrol engines mated with both manual and automatic transmissions.The 1 litre MPI versions of the model are priced between Rs 5.82 lakh and Rs 7.8 lakh, while the 1 litre TSI engine trims are tagged at Rs 8.02 and Rs 9.59 lakh, respectively.On the other hand, Vento with manual transmission is priced between Rs 8.86 lakh and Rs 11.99 lakh, while the automatic trims are tagged at Rs 12.09 lakh and Rs 13.29 lakh."Volkswagen is always committed to bring in the best of technology for its customers in India, while being conscious about its carbon footprint," Volkswagen Passengers Cars Director Steffen Knapp said in a statement.In accordance to the Indian government norms, Volkswagen India announced a 100 per cent transformation to a BS VI product portfolio, he added."The carlines continue to be accessible for the Indian customers with no major price difference across the Polo and Vento carlines," Knapp said.Polo and Vento now come with heat insulating glass, which maintains the cabin temperature and thus lowering fuel consumption and enhancing customer comfort while driving, the company said. MSSBAL

Volkswagen drives in BS VI compliant Polo, Vento in India

New Delhi, Mar 18 () Volkswagen India on Wednesday said it has launched new SUV T-Roc in the country at an introductory price of Rs 19.99 lakh (ex-showroom). The model comes with 1.5 litre petrol engine mated to a seven-speed DSG gearbox. The T-Roc embodies all the good qualities of a Volkswagen with its sporty design, functionality, safety, technology and dynamic driving experience, Volkswagen Passenger Cars India Director Steffen Knapp said in a statement. The SUV is a robust product and enhances the company's SUV portfolio in India, he added. The T-Roc comes with a five-star EURO NCAP rating for adult and child occupants. The model is equipped with six-airbags, anti-lock braking system, electronic stability control, tyre pressure monitoring system and reverse camera. Deliveries of the model will begin in mid-April 2020, the company said. Earlier this month, Volkswagen had introduced seven-seater SUV, Tiguan Allspace in the country. MSS ANSANS

Volkswagen drives in T-Roc SUV in India priced at Rs 19.99 lakh

<ul><li>Things are slowly looking up for the auto industry as more and more people are opening up to buying both new and pre-owned vehicles due to safety concerns when it comes to using public transport.</li><li>Volkswagen has been witnessing an increase in enqueries and bookings since unlock has started.</li><li><keyword id="4669550" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Steffen-Knapp">Steffen Knapp</keyword>, Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars India tells us how through meticulous planning, the brand is pretty much on track with its 2020 plans, both in terms of new car and pre-owned car sales.</li></ul>The auto industry had been witnessing a slump even before Covid-19 hit the world. The lockdown also saw businesses coming to a complete halt and the industry got another jolt. However, with the unlocking of the country, things are slowly picking up. Consumer sentiments, while still not at pre-Covid levels, are improving. Auto makers are witnessing more enquiries and bookings. Meanwhile, the lockdown and people’s increasing focus on safety has also led to an increased interest in buying vehicles so the past few months have also seen more and more people being open to buying pre-owned vehicles. According to reports, a recent survey by credit rating agency ICRA revealed that there has been a sequential recovery month-over-month in segments like passenger vehicles, two-wheelers and tractors. Auto makers are also looking forward to a good Diwali. We recently caught up with Steffen Knapp, Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars India who told us how the brand has been getting back in the game. He discusses the strategies that helped them get over the difficult months of lockdown and how they are on track with their 2020 plans, whether new car or pre-owned car sales and their target of 150 sales outlets across the country. Excerpts: Q) The auto sector was witnessing a slowdown even before the pandemic hit. How have things been for you as an organization in the past few months? Undoubtedly, the Indian auto industry is under pressure and more so with the current situation market sentiments are at an all-time low. Having said that, we utilized the past few months to further strengthen our foundation and worked hard together with our key stakeholders – employees, dealer partners and customers to support them in times of crisis. With a clear focus on ensuring their safety, peace-of-mind and comfort, we extended financial and infrastructural support to our dealer partners, engaged with our employees via virtual trainings, product refreshers, quizzes and business activities to keep the momentum high. We ensured complete peace of mind for our discerning customers, ensuring- extension of warranties, door step services, mobile service units to add to their convenience. Even before the pandemic, one of our key focus areas was Digitalization and we ensured availability of online and secured sales and services for our customers. Overall, we believe there’s an opportunity to embrace the new normal and seek newer possibilities for us. Q) With shops reopening, and traffic coming back on roads, has there been a spike in enquiries, or people buying new cars? What kind of business impact has the lockdown had on the organization? While the initial phase of lockdown was a challenging time for all of us, our business preparedness at Volkswagen helped us align our strategy and brand priorities. We launched two new SUVs under our SUVW strategy – T-Roc &amp; Tiguan Allspace right before the nationwide lockdown was announced. In the last couple of months, our focus was specifically on our new products/models and we introduced <keyword id="10172000" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="polo-vento">Polo &amp; Vento</keyword> TSI edition and our newly launched 6-speed AT transmission. Now with markets slowly opening up, we observe an increase in level of inquiries and bookings across our product range. In fact, our latest SUV T-Roc which was launched in March this year is sold out and the bookings have been closed for the carline. Along with enquires on new cars, we have witnessed an increase in demand for our used-car business, <keyword id="888482" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Das-WeltAuto">Das WeltAuto</keyword> (DWA) given the increasing demand for personal mobility. The demand further depends on factors like financial stability and the growing trend of first-time buyers opting for pre-owned vehicles. For Volkswagen, our pre-owned car business is a key to meet the demand and supply of the discerning car buyers. The lockdown had severely impacted the ecosystem and in specific the supply-chain. However, with unlock guidelines announced by the authorities, we are resuming business slowly but steadily. Our India 2.0 plan is in intact and we are committed to our plans. Q) At the time when showrooms were completely shut, how were you still engaging with your consumers? How did you transform your business model to stay relevant in the consumer's life? First things first, we ensured safety and well-being of all our stakeholders and took decisive steps to ensure smooth functioning of business from home. As next steps, we made all our sales and services available via online platform including new car purchases, live demos, real-time service jobs etc. As for content, we completely focused our marketing efforts in digital space and assisted all our prospects with the required information or supported basis their need. The end-to-end digital retail channel integrated our 137 sales and 116 service touchpoints. We extended our digitization drive across our used-car segment to enable transparent and fair evaluation for customers to buy and sell cars through our Das WeltAuto website or Das WeltAuto Valuator App. With unlock guidelines, we resumed business operations in a staggered manner under our comprehensive #VWellness program to provide and maintain health, hygiene and sanitization standards across all our touchpoints. This is to ensure customer confidence &amp; trust in our brand &amp; network operations. Q) What has your broad marketing strategy been to navigate these adverse times? The nationwide lockdown led to a major shift towards digital platforms. In line with this, we accelerated all our campaigns and customer engagements program over our digital communication platforms.Due to the lockdown, print and OOH mediums took a backseat in our media planning. As for future plans, we will continue our efforts across the genres to ensure our message reaches out to the right audience and at the right time but of-course with efficiencies in place. Q) How has this year’s festive season been so far? The market is returning to pre-Covid levels, our sales are above last year’s retail volumes. We expect the upcoming festive season to bring-in some cheer to the market, in turn, improving consumer sentiments. We are expecting a strong festive period as customers demand will not only be driven in the new car segment but will also push the peddle for the pre-owned vehicle segment. Q) How are you working on expanding your reach and presence in India? Are you on track with your launch plans despite the impact of the lockdown? While the pandemic had deterred our plans for Q2 2020, it has also given the opportunity to accelerate other strategic initiatives. With meticulous planning, we are pretty much on track with our 2020 plans whether new car or pre-owned car sales. This year, we shall reach our target of 150 sales outlets across the country. We’re confident on our SUVW strategy of introducing four SUVs for the Indian market. We’ve launched two until now (Tiguan Allspace &amp; T-Roc) and are successful in terms of retail. Next year, will mark the year of the <keyword id="1489436" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Volkswagen-Taigun">Volkswagen Taigun</keyword> and we’re preparing extensively for its launch in 2021. Q) As a marketer and leader, what have been your learnings from the lockdown experience? As a marketer and leader, our biggest learning has been to stay connected and transparent whether with our employees, customers or dealer partners. Irrespective of the situation, it is important to take your people with you and provide them regular updates of your business. Thankfully, technology has been of great support throughout the lockdown, allowing you to stay connected. Q) From an industry perspective, what are a few things that need to be done to woo back people to the idea of buying new cars (There has been a spike in people buying used cars)? Accessible and individual mobility options, right financing schemes, safe and sanitized showrooms, engaging brand campaigns and digital retail opportunities can bring back customer interest. At this moment, customers are looking for affordable and customized solutions, professional experiences that make them feel comfortable in purchasing their preferred vehicle. In specific to the used car market, we’ve grown in double digits in our month-on-month retails vs. the same period last year. Keeping this in mind, we launched the DWA Excellence centers in five pilot cities with a growth expansion plan to 17 this year. The trained consultants will offer our customers curated experiences in-turn a valued proposition. Q) Where will the next phase of growth for Volkswagen come from? In the global scheme of things, how important is India as a market for Volkswagen? India is one of the priority markets for Volkswagen and as part of the India commitment, <keyword id="166267" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Volkswagen-Group">Volkswagen Group</keyword> is investing €1 billion in the implementation of India 2.0 project, since mid - 2018. With the aim to reach a 3% market share within the next five years, Volkswagen India is focusing on its SUVW strategy. Late last year, we announced the launch of four SUVs in two years, out of which we’ve delivered two products for the Indian market. The T-Roc has been sold out and we have a successful campaign on the Tiguan Allspace. The other two will be launched next year (2021) with an extensive focus on the ‘Volkswagen Taigun’. The Taigun will re-define the segment in terms of design, technology and safety as its built on our MQB A0 IN platform, boasting a localization level of up to 93%.

We're pretty much on track with our 2020 plans, both in terms of new car and pre-owned car sales: Steffen Knapp, Volkswagen Passenger Cars India

New Delhi, May 13 () Automaker Volkswagen India on Wednesday said it has introduced a comprehensive programme to implement safety and sanitisation standards across its facilities amid coronavirus pandemic. Under the #VWellnessIndia programme, company's 137 sales and 116 service stations will be covered across the country, Volkswagen India said in a statement.Through the programme, the company aims to provide and maintain health, hygiene and sanitisation standards across its facilities, it added.It is aimed at ensuring employee safety and re-building customer confidence and providing peace of mind when a customer decides to visit a Volkswagen dealership or service workshop, the company said."At Volkswagen, safety is in our DNA, which isn't limited to our vehicles but also extends to human well-being. The #VWellnessIndia programme provides our network extensive details on sanitization and contactless measures that need to be implemented for business continuity," Volkswagen Passenger Cars India Director Steffen Knapp said.The company aims to offer customers complete peace of mind and a hassle-free experience while visiting a Volkswagen sales and service facility, he added.The company's measures include hygiene practices, timely sanitisation of the facility and vehicles, thermal scanning, safe distancing, wearing of masks and gloves, placement and usage of hand sanitizers.Besides, virtual training has been imparted across the network, including sales, service and administration teams, it added. MSS RUJRUJ

COVID-19: Volkswagen India initiates safety programme across facilities

New Delhi, Dec 13 () European auto major Volkswagen on Friday said it has partnered ORIX Auto Infrastructure Services for providing car leasing service in India.
 The partnership comprises retail leasing solution, which will offer a range of Volkswagen cars catering to start-up entrepreneurs, MSMEs, salaried individual and corporate professionals, the company said in a statement.
 The monthly lease rental for Volkswagen model range will start at Rs 17,647 and will be offered through the Corporate Business Centre (CBC) present in six metro cities -- Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru, it said.
 Gradually, the program will be extended to other CBCs as well in the country, it added.
 The company is offering customers car leasing from a minimum period of two years to a maximum period of four years.
 "With our partnership with ORIX, our customers will have the convenience and flexibility to drive premium mobility at a value for money proposition through a monthly rental," Volkswagen Passenger Cars Director Steffen Knapp said.
 This will enhance financial independence for customers with shorter periods of asset holding and no upfront capital requirement, he added.
 ORIX Auto Infrastructure Services Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Sandeep Gambhir said, "We believe this partnership between two leading global brands will fulfil many such dreams by enabling customers to experience Volkswagen premium products through our innovative and curated lease options which would now be available across Volkswagen's Corporate Business Centre (CBC)." RKL RVK

Volkswagen partners ORIX for car leasing service in India

Mumbai, Mar 6 () German auto major Volkswagen on Friday launched India-specific 7-seater Tiguan Allspace premium SUV in the domestic market priced at Rs 33.12 lakh (ex-showroom). The new offering from Volkswagen comes with a 2-lt BS-VI-compliant engine. The all-new Tiguan Allspace was showcased at the recently-held Auto Expo in Greater Noida along with other SUVs. The Allspace will compete against other SUVs in the segment including Skoda Kodiaq, Honda CR-V, Ford Endeavour and Toyota Fortuner, Mahindra's Alturas G4, among others. "The Tiguan Allspace is one of our most successful carlines globally and, we are extremely delighted to launch the car for our Indian customers. It is the first SUV that is being launched under Volkswagen's SUV offensive strategy and suits the needs of every Indian customer," Steffen Knapp, director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars India said here. In 2018, the VW Group had announced investments of around Rs 8,000 crore in India till 2021 under India 2.0 project, while giving Czech firm Skoda Auto the responsibility to take the lead to achieve a combined target of 5 per cent market share of the total domestic passenger vehicle segment by 2025. Of this, Volkswagen alone is looking to corner 3 per cent market share as against around 1 per cent at present. The company has merged its three Indian entities-Volkswagen India Pvt. Ltd, Volkswagen Group Sales India Pvt. Ltd and Skoda Auto India Pvt. Ltd -for greater synergies and faster decision-making. The merged entity, which is called Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Pvt. Ltd, will develop six cars for domestic and export markets. IAS ANS SHWSHW

Volkswagen launches Tiguan Allspace, priced at Rs 33.12 lakh in India

New Delhi, Apr 27 () German automakers Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes on Monday said they have introduced online sales initiatives in India in order to help customers book vehicles from the safety of their homes amid the coronavirus pandemic. Volkswagen said it is digitising its sales and service portfolio, enabling customers with the flexibility to choose their preferred model at their comfort and convenience. The online retail process is simple, hassle-free and provides an end-to-end contactless experience, the company said in a statement. From a customer displaying interest, to a conversation with the sales consultant up till the vehicle handover process, will be conducted virtually, the automaker added. "With the launch of our simple, secure and user-friendly online retail platform, we are pushing the boundaries of end-to-end retail sales and strengthening our commitment to customers," Volkswagen Passenger Cars India Director Steffen Knapp said. Volkswagen has integrated its 137 sales and 116 service touchpoints, enabling customers to choose their preferred dealership while booking online. Luxury carmaker BMW also said it has rolled out a unique contactless experience for its customers in India. The 'BMW Contactless Experience' enables customers to explore and buy new and pre-owned BMW cars, book vehicle service, make payments online. "Amidst the current pandemic situation, we have successfully transformed our business processes and put in place various measures to effectively and efficiently serve our existing customers and prospects by leveraging new-age digital technologies," BMW Group India Acting President Arlindo Teixeira said. As business dynamics evolve post the current COVID -19 pandemic, the initiative will play a crucial role in offering seamless sales and aftersales services to existing and new customers, he added. Similarly, Mercedes-Benz India said it has further developed its online sales platform and announced a host of new customer initiatives under the campaign 'Merc from Home'. The initiative focuses on the ease of purchasing a vehicle using digital tools to facilitate the entire process, including online payment of products and services. "The customers now can not only explore, select and make online payment for our products and services from the comfort of their homes, but can also get their Three Pointed Star delivered right at their doorsteps, as per their convenience," Mercedes-Benz India MD and CEO Martin Schwenk said. Honda Cars has also announced an online sales platform which it plans to integrate with its pan-India dealerships. Hyundai Motor India has already integrated its entire sales network of over 500 dealerships across the country with its recently introduced online sales platform. MSS RVK

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