Europe’s largest auto maker, Volkswagen group, is getting ready to roll out cars from its Chakan plant by April 2009. The deadline has been pre-poned nearly a year ahead of its schedule. The decision from the company comes as a result of increase in VW Group’s sales despite the ongoing slump in the Indian auto market. The company has registered a 66 percent growth this year from the month of January to October.
The new production unit in Chakan will roll out Fabia next April as its first batch. Skoda Fabia is currently being manufactured at the Group’s Aurangabad plant operated by Skoda Auto. This plant also manufactures VW Jetta, Passat, Skoda Fabia, Laura and Superb. The company had announced investments of Rs. 3500 crores in 2006 out of which Rs. 2650 crores have been invested in the Chakan plant. The new plant at Chakan will have a capacity of manufacturing 110,000 units annually when it is complete.
Volkswagen also plans to launch Polo next year which will have design and style inspired from Scirocco, a three-door coupe. The Indian version of Polo will be more up-market and sporty than the models available worldwide. The sedan version of Polo will hit the Indian market by 2010.
