Volkswagen launches compact sedan Ameo

German car manufacturer Volkswagen on Tuesday unveiled compact sedan Ameo, which will be launched in the second half of the year. The car comes with a 1.2-litre 3-cylinder petrol and a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder diesel engine options.

Ameo will compete with other cars such as the Honda Amaze, Hyundai Xcent, Maruti Suzuki Swift Dzire and Tata Zest.

Volkswagen will disclose the price closer to the launch date. The sub 4-metre Ameo will be manufactured at the Volkswagen plant in Chakan, Maharashtra.

Targeted at the young urban Indian, Ameo will have features such as cruise control, rain sensing wipers, static cornering lights and a dynamic touchscreen multimedia music system with MirrorLink, iPod connectivity and phonebook/SMS viewer.

It has special design highlights such as the front spoiler lip in body colour and the distinctive fold in the outer edges of the front bumper. All variants come with dual front airbags and ABS as standard.

Jürgen Stackmann, Board Member for Sales and Marketing, Volkswagen Passenger Cars, said: “During the next fiscal year, we will be launching four new models, bringing our greatest model range ever to Indian showrooms.”

Michael Mayer, Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars India, expressed hope that the Ameo will “change the game for the carmaker”. “This is a segment that grows double digit and hasn’t had a Volkswagen offering yet. We will conquer with this car because there are a lot of people who are climbing into the first-new-car segment,” he said.

Volkswagen currently offers the Polo, Vento, Jetta, Passat and Beetle in India.

The carmaker is also planning to extend its range into niche areas with new launches slated for the coming fiscal.

“The first is the 192 horse-power sports car Polo GTI. We have positive feedback on our Polo GT TSI. Passat has been in the country for the past few years. We will bring the latest version, the Passat eighth generation. To showcase, we will bring the plug-in hybrid vehicle Passat GTE at the Auto Expo. Our entry into the SUV segment with Tiguan, the 5-seater, will come in the beginning of 2017. Here we can position ourselves from top down and can later follow up with products in smaller segments,” Mayer said.

Of these, the 2016 Beetle and Polo GTI are BS VI compliant.

Relevant tech On what changes the car manufacturer will take up for BS VI, he said: “For EU VI, you have to distinguish between petrol and diesel engine. Petrol is easier. On diesel, it needs more changes to be incorporated into the current BS IV engine.

“You need to have the relevant technology available. Developing an engine from the ground up costs time and money, but we have the cars available. You then have minor adjustments on platform. You have a Polo running on EU VI in Europe.

“So why shouldn’t we be able to do one with a reasonable amount of effort to Indianise it?”

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