Volkswagen is looking for local partners to manufacture light commercial vehicles in India. It is seeking a venture with a local company to start manufacturing LCV in India. This move from VW comes from its international strategy to set up its manufacturing units for LCV in India and China.
The new plant from VW in India will be operational in 2009. It will have a capacity of manufacturing 110,000 units and the company plans to make more commercial vehicles in India, says Harold Schomburg, a board member of commercial vehicles.
VW currently imports Crafter and Caravelle light trucks in India as its does not have any manufacturing facility for commercial vehicles. It also does not have any particular LCV product to cater to Indian demands for LCV trucks. "At the moment we have no products that fit Indian needs," Schomburg, who was at the IAA show in Hanover. An Indian partner will help VW to understand the market demands and design a suitable product as well.
Wolkswagen also plans to launch small car in India by the year 2010. It will manufacture small car based on Polo platform as small car sales make up nearly two-third of car sales in India. The company sees a good market opportunity to sell its cars in the country and has massive investment plans lined up as well.
