The Volkswagen Group’s platform sharing strategy has always worked wonders for the company. The UP! which is being developed on VW’s brand new MHB platform would soon see the light of the day.
VW is planning to launch the rear engined, rear wheel driven urban car, Up! in the Indian market sometime in the next three years. VW, going by international media reports, would also be sharing this ultra-low cost platform with Seat and Skoda.
While the Seat version of the Volkwagen UP! (which could be called the ‘Ros’) isn’t reaching Indian shores, Skoda’s version of the UP! is highly probable for India. Skoda India had hinted about this small car on numerous occasions and we’ve learnt that this small car could be called the Skoda Joyster.
The Skoda Joyster could come with a choice of two diesels and a petrol engine. A 1-liter TDI, 1.2-liter TDI and a 1.2-liter TSI are the probables. The car could also come with a sub-1 liter petrol engine with fuel economy figure well over 20kpl.
As both the VW UP! and Skoda Joyster are mechanical twins, the small cars would most probably be built at VW’s high capacity Chakan Plant in Pune.
The Skoda Joyster could also compete against the Tata Nano Europa in the Europe as Skoda is perceived as a low-cost brand there.
Click here to see Indian Autos Blog’s exclusive Skoda UP/Joyster rendering
Behind closed doors, the Tata Nano Europa is getting prepared to face rigorous competition and challenges the West has to offer. The preliminary crash tests have been positive and the Nano is confident of acing all the emission and crash test requirements both in America and Europe/U.K.
Coming to the heart of this story, we previously posted information on Skoda’s new small car dubbed Joyster, that will take form on the VW Up!’s platform. Autoblog NL reports Skoda’s version of the Up! will be priced in the same league as the Nano Europa (around 4,500-5,000 Euros).
Skoda Indian management back in March announced two small cars one each from Skoda and VW was planned for 2011. That report said the target price was approximately 4 lakh rupees. According to the new report, 5,000 Euros (Joyster) would convert into 3.5 lakh rupees.
Are they both talking about the Joyster? If they are, then the Joyster would be manufactured in India.
Tata Motors had also confirmed during the Geneva show that the Europa, if launched in Europe, would also be available in India.
VW’s sister companies have the reputation of sharing platforms and we think the same mantra will be used on Skoda’s upcoming small car for the Indian market. Every manufacturer is forced to look at fuel-efficient small cars on the long run and one of the most anticipated small cars from the VW stable is none other than the VW Up!. When better to use this platform than during this period [ Read More ]
