Volkswagen India crosses 1.5 lakh units in vehicle prodn

The Indian arm of the German auto major Volkswagen has crossed 1.50 lakh vehicles production in a year at its Pune facility, rolling out 1,50,150 units of cars in 2017 driven by sedan Vento, which accounted for almost half of the total production.
The total production (domestic and exports) stood at 1,50,150 units in the previous, as compared to 1,145,145 units produced in 2016, the company said today.
Volkswagen group has two manufacturing plants at Pune and Auranagabad with two-lakh units and 89,000 capacities per annum, respectively.
Besides manufacturing hatchback Polo and compact sedans Ameo and Vento for Volkswagen, they plant also produces Skoda Rapid for the subsidiary company Skoda India.

In addition to the cars, the company assembles the 1.5-litre diesel engine at the same facility.
Registering a growth (nearly 3.5 per cent) in production over the last year, Volkswagen Indias Pune plant has now recorded its highest ever annual production since its inception in 2009, the company said.

"Volkswagen India has once again registered positive growth. Volkswagen is committed to India. We believe in the potential of this market and we are setting ourselves up as a serious competitor for the future," Volkswagen India Pvt Ltd president and managing director, Andreas Lauermann said in a release.
The contribution towards the increased volumes comes from a combination of higher demand from the domestic as well as export markets where the cars 'Made in India' have been a success, the release said.

During the year, the plant produced 57,000 units of vehicles for the domestic market as compared to 60,500 units manufactured in 2016.
The exports production stood at 93,100 units at the end of December 2017 as against 84,500 units in 2016, Volkswagen said.
The production of export units which includes Volkswagen Polo and Vento stood at over 93,100 cars, the release said, adding the Vento was the highest produced car in 2017, contributing to more than half of the total production.
Volkswagen has so far invested Rs 5,720 crore ( 825 million) in the Chakan facility at Pune, which has has achieved a localisation level of up to 82 per cent(without engines and transmissions), the company said.