Volkswagen is the largest European car brand that has successfully entered the Indian car market. The Indian group is just a small part of Volkswagen AG which has a global presence represented by nine major automotive players in the market. The nine brands that make up the entire group are Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Scania, Seat, Skoda, Volkswagen Nutzfahrzeuge and Volkswagen Passenger Cars. Among these, Skoda, Audi and Volkswagen are three big names representing the renowned Volkswagen AG in India.
The journey of this car brand in India began with the entry of Skoda in the year 2001, followed by Volkswagen and Audi in the year 2007. The brand has carved out its own niche in the market with the perfect harmony of captivating design and high end. technologies offered in its range of premium cars.
To begin with, Volkswagen first introduced its globally successful Passat car in the year 2007, which was followed by the launch of the Jetta in 2008. Since their introduction, both luxury cars are doing wonders on Indian roads. The perfect combination of design, comfort, technological features and high-end safety technologies make these cars a perfect choice for the affluent class. To expand the portfolio, the manufacturer also introduced the legendary Beetle and the Touareg in 2009.
In addition to expanding the car portfolio, the company is also expanding its operations in terms of local assembly, dealer network and after-sales service. The company is seeking a strong, long-term presence in the country. With this vision, Volkswagen invested a large sum of around INR 3,800 crore to start a production plant near Pune in the Chakan Industrial Park in the year 2009. The Pune plant launched the Indian Polo which was introduced for the first time at the Auto Expo in 2010. Polo redefined India’s high-volume passenger car segment.
Additionally, the brand also worked to increase dealerships on stretches of the Indian borders. By teaming up with Skoda and Audi, the brand is doing wonders in India by substantially increasing sales of first class fully serviced cars. This not only improves the credibility of the company, but also helps improve customer satisfaction.
Volkswagen has made dedicated efforts to make the existing presence in the Indian market. In return for all the dedication and efforts, the company has also been awarded ‘Auto Company of the Year 2010’ at the Inaugural Golden Steering Wheel Awards India.