New VW Polo GTI not coming to India

15/11/2018 - 11:11 | ,   | Anjan Ravi

VW India introduced the 'GTI' nameplate in the country in November 2016 with the Polo GTI, albeit at a steep price of INR 26 lakhs, ex-showroom, owing to the CBU status of the hot hatchback. Within 6 months of the launch though, VW doled out a hefty discount of INR 6 lakhs to clear stocks, and this considering only 99 units were imported in the first place.

VW Polo GTI at Auto Expo 2016
Even with only 99 units imported, VW India found the Polo GTI to be a hard sell and had to take a financial hit to clear inventory.

With the all new Polo GTI which is on sale in European markets, you might have read VW India will not make the same pricing mistake again. Indeed they will not, as IAB learns that VW will not be launching the new Polo GTI.

Described by people familiar with the product as being "far too expensive" than the outgoing Polo GTI, VW India will not make the same mistake twice.

Based on the more advanced and expensive MQB platform with a host of new gadgets like the Active Info Display, the new Polo GTI also features a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine (as compared to its predecessor's 1.8-litre unit), which is relatively a newer motor with further technological improvements. As the company likes to describe it, the GTI is an "Everything included" variant of the Polo with the sports-oriented running gear.

2018 VW Polo GTI front three quarters at the IAA 2017
VW India is not focusing on niche programs like the Polo GTI, instead it has its hands full with keeping the VW T-Cross on schedule and refreshing its mainstay cars.

As reported earlier, VW India is still unsure about launching the new generation Polo in the market, let alone the performance oriented, expensive GTI model. The carmaker has started working on a facelift on the existing Polo, which should be arriving next year.

You might also like