[Scorcher]

Mod Note: Our Volkswagen Taigun Review has been taken live at this link. Please continue the discussion over on the new thread. Thanks!

VW, sensing the game heating up in the entry-level crossover segment, is planning to introduce a player which they could share across their sub-brands. Well, this's gotta be interesting!

Source

Most successful cars these days are crossovers and SUVs. The story of the BMW X1, X6, Dacia/Renault Duster, Hyundai ix35 and the Skoda Yeti are a testimony to the situation.

VW has sensed the demand for these faux SUVs and is planning to expand its existing line up of crossovers. The German czar has confirmed its interest in making one for distribution within the group.
Speaking with Automotive News Europe, Walter de’ Silva, Head of Volkswagen Group Design said Crossover demand is expanding from mature markets to emerging markets and we have to cover this growing appetite with a multilateral expansion in the offer of our brands.

The sudden attention to the segment is because VW does not have model in the small SUV/crossover segment, which is Europe’s fast-growing niche in the first half with sales up 81 percent to 112,530 units. The king of the segment Dacia Duster moped most of the segment’s growth.
The company is not stopping there. VW wants to add crossovers of different sizes and with different design characteristics to appeal to a wider audience.
The Renault Duster is the most hotly anticipated SUV in India followed by the Ford Ecosport. Maruti is also betting big on SUVs to drive the growth and puts a concept on view at Auto Expo next month. In such a scenario, it is only a matter of time before this VW heads to India.

[shankar.balan]

Very nice indeed! It would be great to see this extremely practical segment hot up from the consumer point of view especially given Indian road conditions!

[SDP]

Fantastic news indeed! Do they have any offerings in the international market already or are they starting from scratch?

[rambo1o1]

I guess VW will have to start from scratch. So its going to be two-three years before we see it India.By then the small Suv segment will be well established.
A bit too late by VW but by then hopefully they will establish themselves as easy to maintain and run manufacture!

[scopriobharath]

thats a nice move by VW but i guess they will fail in price. When a Premier rio costs 6 lacs, A VW should costs 10 lacs at least. Will this product be value for money ?

Xylo, Eco-Sport would be better bets.

Is it just me ?? The photo says "coupe", so does it mean they are planning to launch a 2 seater SUV ?

[el lobo 6061]

Originally Posted by scopriobharath

Xylo, Eco-Sport would be better bets.

Is it just me ?? The photo says "coupe", so does it mean they are planning to launch a 2 seater SUV ?

Eco Sport would be a better bet because the car in the photo is a faux SUV based on Passat. It would easily priced above 23 lacs no way near Eco Sport. Overall Ford will have better grasp over the market in sub 10 lac mini SUV with Eco Sport.
Given Indian road conditions these faux SUV will be better bet compared to sedans.

[senindra]

VW already has the Tiguan. So now they want to develop something even more cheaper than that?`Hmm...

Edit: If VW does locally produce/ assemble the Tiguan they could bring it in south of 12L, or is that being very optimistic.

Only time will say.

[vb-saan]

I guess it’s a bit too early to classify this concept as a rival to the likes of Duster. From what I read in the article below (refer to the link), this is going to be a hybrid. And coming from VW, even a sub-Tiguan cross-over could cost as much as C+ segment sedan. The car looks good nevertheless

Volkswagen Cross Coupe Concept - Singapore Motoring News - Oneshift.com

Edit:

Originally Posted by senindra

If VW does locally produce/ assemble the Tiguan they could bring it in south of 12L, or is that being very optimistic.
Only time will say.

It is indeed very optimistic
The Tiguan definitely will cost more than the Yeti – atleast from the way VW want to position the brand

[zulfi hansi]

Originally Posted by vb-san

I guess it’s a bit too early to classify this concept as a rival to the likes of Duster. From what I read in the article below (refer to the link), this is going to be a hybrid. And coming from VW, even a sub-Tiguan cross-over could cost as much as C+ segment sedan. The car looks good nevertheless

Volkswagen Cross Coupe Concept - Singapore Motoring News - Oneshift.com

Edit:

It is indeed very optimistic
The Tiguan definitely will cost more than the Yeti – atleast from the way VW want to position the brand

Spot on observation, as we see Tiguan is not going to compete with Duster though they are almost the same size, but as already said, positioning is different and the new cross-over coupe or what ever that will be called has to be smaller than the Tiguan, but how purposeful will that be remains to be seen. bottom line VW products will not be VFM in this segment.

[figo_mba]

I think by the time I am ready for the upgrade to a mini SUV I will have plenty of choices. If Volkswagen were to come up with a sub12L mini suv I am sure many would consider it just for the snob value (of VW) and SUV appeal. I am no different but I am inclined towards the Ford.
As someone said competition is always good. I am hoping Maruti also comes up with a mini SUV and make the segment spicy hot..

[shankar.balan]

I totally agree with this on account of the way VW is positioned vis a vis the Skoda brand. Remember they murdered the lovely Laura L&K in 2007/2008 because it was nosing about uncomfortably close to the Jetta territory and indeed, offered the buyer far greater value than the Jetta did.

Its all about segmentation from the same stable of brands!

Had I been in the market at that time for a serious sedan, I would most certainly have gone for the L&K Laura like many of my friends did instead of the Jetta!

The Tiguan and Yeti are more or less similar though and indeed on another Skoda forum there's a thread where someone in the UK has preferred the Yeti over the Tiguan and booked one, for a variety of reasons, most of them pretty solid!

The Tiguan definitely will cost more than the Yeti – atleast from the way VW want to position the brand[/quote]

[sarthakgupta]

VW set to unveil its Ecosport Rival (concept?) at the Brazil Motor.

We didn’t misspell Tiguan. Meet Volkswagen’s mini SUV, born to knock-out the Ford EcoSport and Renault Duster. It will premiere at the Sao Paulo Motor Show either today or tomorrow.

Brazilian auto publication Auto Esporte ran the first photographs of Volkswagen’s B-Segment SUV Taigun, hours ahead of its official reveal.
The VW Taigun makes its world premiere in Brazil,

Link:http://indianautosblog.com/2012/10/v...head-of-reveal

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by sarthakgupta

VW set to unveil its Ecosport Rival (concept?) at the Brazil Motor.

Link:http://indianautosblog.com/2012/10/v...head-of-reveal

Very nice indeed. Cute looker. Quite like a Nissan Juke and sort of OTT aggressive. Like a Pekinese taking on an Alsatian....

[ampere]

This HAD to happen sooner than later. I was in fact wondering how did VW sleep on it? They have all the arsenal to tackle this section. Imagine what they can do on this segment with the 1.6L Diesel!

Already there is a talk/rumour of Skoda Mini SUV at the 10-15L range. So hopefully VW will have the same sector covered with their branding as well.
So in future would we have two twins in tow ?

The Renault-Nissan Duster Twins and then the VW-Skoda twins!

[one-77]

The TopGear report on the Taigun.
But don't VW already have the Tiguan that they could introduce in the the Yeti range?