Volkswagen Virtus spied – possibly India bound as the next gen VW Vento

Volkswagen launched the Vento in the year 2011 and ever since, the mid-sized sedan has been undergoing cosmetic as well as mechanical updates. Recent spy shots of the next gen Volkswagen Virtus (speculated to be called as Vento in some markets) are surfacing online which confirms that the German manufacturer is all set to revamp its mid-sized family sedan.

The spy shots confirm that the next generation Vento will carry styling bits from the fascia of the 2018 Volkswagen Polo. However, the design is expected to be as low profile as the current car. The side silhouette of the next gen Vento is expected to carry basic sedan proportions with sleek shoulder and waist lines to compliment the styling. The spotted car sits on a newly designed set of alloy wheels. The rear has been styled taking cues from its older sibling, the Jetta. The tail lamp boasts of striking design and the rear bumper has been re-styled to look upswept – maybe they are hoping for aero trickery here.

Inside the sedan are gadgets recently seen on the 2018 Polo with a touch-screen infotainment system and an all-digital instrument cluster. The new car is expected to tick all the boxes in the feature list, however, to keep the cost in check, Volkswagen will have to limit its offerings.

As the 2018 VW Polo, the Virtus/Vento is expected to be based on the newly developed MQB platform. However, the Polo sedan will sit on a longer wheelbase than its hatch back sibling. The track of the car is expected to be wider – courtesy the new MQB platform. Power source of the new Virtus will be the same 1.0-litre TSI engine, with 126bhp and 204Nm of torque and 1.6-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine which produces 120bhp. On the other hand, the Indian market is expected to see the same 1.2-litre TSI and a 1.6-litre petrol engine with a seven speed DSG gearbox and a five speed manual gearbox respectively. The diesel variant will be offered with a 1.5-litre TDI engine with a choice of DSG or a manual gearbox.

The Virtus is likely to be launched internationally by the end of this year. It will eventually make its way to the Indian market, however, that is not likely to happen before the latter half of next year. In India, the Volkswagen Virtus may be christened as the Vento and it will make its foray into the C segment, already dominated by Hyundai Verna, Skoda Rapid, Maruti Suzuki Ciaz and the Honda City.

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