Volkswagen starts production of mid-sized SUV Taigun at Chakan plant

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Volkswagen Passenger Cars India on Wednesday announced the start of production of its mid-sized SUV Taigun, its first product under the India 2.0 project.

The company also opened pre-booking of the new SUV.

Built on the MQB A0 IN platform, the first Taigun was rolled out from the Chakan plant in Pune on Tuesday, the company said in a release.

With deliveries beginning in September, all customers can now pre-book the Taigun across Volkswagen online and offline retail platforms, it said.

"Today, we embark on a journey that marks a significant milestone for Volkswagen, with the start of production of the Taigun. The Taigun retains the German engineering prowess, while achieving a localization level of up to 95 per cent.

"The vehicle has been designed to meet the needs of the discerning Indian customer and will be a competitive product offering in the fast-growing mid-size SUV segment," said Gurpratap Boparai, Managing Director, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Pvt Ltd.

Under the India 2.0 project, German automotive group Volkswagen had announced in 2018 that it would invest 1 billion euros (around Rs 7,900 crore) between 2019 and 2021 as part of its strategy to enhance presence in the country, which will be led by group firm Skoda Auto.

Under the plan, Skoda Auto was envisaged to set up an engineering design and development centre at Pune, besides enhancing capacities at the group's two plants at Aurangabad and Pune.

The Volkswagen Taigun will be powered by the brand's globally renowned TSI technology and will be available with two engine options -- 1.0L and 1.5L.

Volkswagen now offers its TSI technology across its product line-up, offering customers the right mix of power and performance, the company said.

"With the start of production and bookings open, we are extremely excited to bring the Taigun soon to the Indian market. We are confident that the SUV will be a success in the India market," said Ashish Gupta, Brand Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars India.