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A blue-silk coloured Ameo, the first sub 4-m sedan designed and developed by Volkswagen specifically for the Indian market, was rolled off the assembly line at the company’s plant at Chakan on Wednesday. The car marks the German automaker’s entry into the compact sedan segment in the country. While VW has opened pre-bookings, the commercial launch of the Ameo is scheduled for the middle of the year, said Andreas Lauermann, President and Managing Director, VW India.
To be available in both petrol (1.2 litre) and diesel (1.5 litre) engine options, the new car is highly localised, though the petrol engine and gearbox will presently be imported. The company has invested ₹720 crore to design, develop and manufacture the model. To prepare for the production of the Ameo, VW recently introduced a third shift at Chakan, where it currently makes the Polo, Vento and Skoda Rapid, and has an annual installed capacity of 200,000 vehicles.
“Last year we sold 123,456 cars and this year we are targeting 15 per cent growth on volumes the Ameo will generate,” Lauermann said, adding that the petrol variant will be launched first, while the diesel variant with the new TDi engine will follow after Diwali.
“To start with, we will make 150 units of the Ameo per day,” he said. The company is also working in areas like improving fuel efficiency and lowering cost of ownership of its vehicles, factors that have impacted its sales in India, he added.
Though VW’s exports from India are as high as 60 per cent, mainly on account of the popularity of the Vento in overseas markets, the Ameo is targeted at the Indian market, coming as it does with only a right-hand drive.
Amongst the standard features are dual front airbags, anti-lock braking systems, cruise control, rain sensing wipers and static cornering lights.
VW India will continue to expand its product portfolio, said Lauermann. “It is necessary for us to be present in all segments and we will add more products.” VW has already announced it will bring in the new Passat, the SUV Tiguan and the Passat GTE, a plug-in hybrid that will be brought as a fleet to test market acceptance.
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