- First batch of 3,000 units exported to Mexico
- Over 5.5 lakh Volkswagen group vehicles exported in 11 years
Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited (SAVWIPL) has expanded its export portfolio with the recently launched Volkswagen Virtus. The first batch comprising 3,000 units was dispatched to Mexico from Mumbai port. The Volkswagen Virtus is manufactured locally in India at the group’s plant in Chakan, Maharashtra.
The Volkswagen Virtus was launched in June 2022 at a starting price of Rs 11.22 lakh (ex-showroom). The mid-size sedan is offered in Comfortline, Highline, Topline, and GT Plus variants. The Virtus is festooned with modern features like LED headlamps with integrated DRLs, a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, an electric sunroof, a digital driver’s display, wireless charger, ventilated front seats, automatic climate control, and six airbags.
Customers willing to purchase the Virtus have two powertrain options to choose from. The first one is a 1.0-litre TSI petrol engine that develops 114bhp and 178Nm of torque and is mated to a six-speed manual and a six-speed automatic transmission. Then, there is a 1.5-litre TSI engine with active cylinder technology that churns out 148bhp and 250Nm of peak torque and can be had with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission only.
Commenting on the occasion, Piyush Arora, Managing Director of Škoda Auto Volkswagen India, said, “We are marching aggressively on our path to growth and the ramp-up of our exports is another significant stride in this direction. With this move, we are closer to realising our aim of making India an export hub for the VW Group globally, which is a significant pillar of our India strategy. The growth in our export numbers testifies to the success of the India 2.0 programme. It also showcases India’s engineering expertise on a global stage.”