On two previous occasions we speculated on variants of cars weeks before their launch and got them right. We’re talking about the Hyundai Verna (part one and part two) and Toyota Etios Liva (part one and part two), if you are new here.
Today we’re attempting to get three on three with details on the new VW Jetta expected in India in August. With a few weeks to go for the launch, Volkswagen can change its mind on the equipment. So we’re going to classify this information as speculation.
The quality on the new Jetta is expected to inch closer to Audi levels and one can sense by just looking solid improvement of finish and material usage compared to the current model. The new Jetta like most other Volkswagens will be offered in three trims – Trendline, Comfortline and Highline. Three options are provided on the Highline variant’s interiors with base color as Black – Beige, Black or Plum.
click through for the full monty
On a trip down coastal Karnataka a few days back, ardent IAB reader Venkatesh Shreyas spotted the new Jetta in a parking area. He walked towards it, had a good look at the interiors and has shared his experience using a camera. Last June, Venkatesh mailed us snaps of W201 and Xylo pickups testing in Ooty.
As we reported right after the Passat launch, the new Jetta is expected before the festive season missing BlueMotion technology. Unlike its bigger brother, it will touch down with both petrol and diesel engines. The diesel will almost certainly be the 2-liter TDI carried over from the Passat with less power and torque. Customers will be provided with Manual and Automatic transmission options.
Off topic – The Jetta is sold as Vento in Argentina.
The Vento connection is not just in the name. If you look at the front-end, it feels like you’ve zoomed in a photograph of the Vento. The side profile is boxy and Vento-like. The Jetta sits under the Passat in the VW lineup and locks horns with cousin Skoda Laura and outsiders such as Toyota Corolla, Chevrolet Cruze, Renault Fluence and Honda Civic. If Volkswagen manages to price the Jetta in 14-16 lakh rupee price range, it will set the cat among the pigeons.
click through to see spyshots
Volkswagen is planning to launch the new Jetta in India in the coming months. India will get the European-spec car which is more sophisticated than the American model built for economy.
VW will not adopt the BlueMotion strategy for the new Jetta. It will allow BlueMotion technologies on the Passat to sink in to customers and make its benefits clear before carrying it over to other models.
Unlike the Passat, Volkswagen will offer both petrol and diesel options on the new Jetta. The 2.0-liter diesel engine from the new Passat is planned for the Jetta, tuned for lower levels of power and torque. The new Jetta is expected to be priced better than the existing model and will follow the CKD route. Automatic and manual transmissions will be offered.
Scheduled to make its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2010, the new VW Jetta is heavily inspired by the VW Golf. The Golf’s front fascia will be carried over to the new Jetta, while the interiors and engines are expected to stay the same. The rendering here depicts exactly how the new vehicle will look. Frankly, the existing Jetta’s fascia isn’t its high point.
The Jetta has been big success story for VW in US and Canada, and the credit belongs to the clean diesel technology under the hood. While the VW is catching up with the Altis, Civic and Laura in terms of sales in India, the facelift will help in giving a breath of fresh air to the Jetta.
So obvious.
The 2011 VW Jetta’s front fascia is carried over from the VW Golf. The character line passing through the front fender isn’t exactly the way the real car will have it. It will blend in a lot more.
Powertrain options will closely match the current car’s lineup with the interiors finished off in a more imposing fashion. The next generation Jetta will make its international debut at Geneva, in March 2010.
