Rumour : VW Polo could return as an import in GTI form

Guna · 23rd May 2023, 22:09

Has VW quietly launched the Polo GTI?
https://news24online.com/auto/volksw...etails/136591/

Bhodrolok · 24th May 2023, 11:29

Had called VW Palace Cross in Bangalore, they did not have any details about it. However their sales manager promised to do some digging up and come back to me.

Gannu_1 · 24th May 2023, 12:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guna

Has VW quietly launched the Polo GTI?
https://news24online.com/auto/volksw...etails/136591/

Typical clickbait article.

VW has globally launched the Polo GTI Edition 25, limited to 2500 units. The press release says this:

Quote:

The Polo GTI Edition 25 will be available to order in Germany from 1 June, priced at €35,205.

The article did a straight up Euro to INR conversion and gave an ex-showroom price of Rs 31 lakhs.

Epic · 2nd June 2023, 11:26

The news by Indian auto websites made it appear that it is being launched in India as well on 1st June. I was literally checking the web and VW India website almost everyday to know about the launch in India. Unfortunately, his was never the case.

volkman10 · 22nd March 2024, 19:40

With a disappointing annual brand conference with nothing new shown. ID.4 shown yet again and Taigun / Virtus given some minor cosmetic updates.

VW will go premium while Skoda will go with mass market products.

Volkswagen evaluating GTI for India.

Rumour : VW Polo could return as an import in GTI form-20240322025036_vw-gti.001-_1_.jpeg

Quote:

GTI could make a comeback to India
Polo GTI or Golf GTI being evaluated
Will launch as a CBU in limited numbers

Volkswagen will bring in the GTI as a full import – which will attract maximum duties – in batches limited to around 200 units.

Quote:

the objective to bring these halo products to India is to lift the Volkswagen brand’s aspirational quotient, and indirectly work as a catalyst to boost sales of its more affordable offerings.

Link:

DivyanshuDiv · 22nd March 2024, 20:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by volkman10

Volkswagen evaluating GTI for India.
[

How are they evaluating ? Please invite them to read our forum, they might get 200 prospective buyers on day1.

Chetan_Rao · 23rd March 2024, 00:22

That there's a non-zero chance they might actually be more popular - and arguably more profitable per unit - with CBU units than locally-built ones, says everything about their atrocious India product strategy.

GeeTee TSI · 23rd March 2024, 18:11

A one time import of 200 GTis - that's it, VW?!
Skoda atleast launched a vRS in most of the Octavia generations while selling the regular Octavia all along.

Enthusiasts have been given the raw deal by VW time and again

Livnletcarsliv · 23rd March 2024, 20:31

Is this what VW is going to do it to keep the brand alive in India? Selling only premium products like GTI/R, where hardly it will be around 2000-3000 units per year? So what will happen to products like Kodiaq/Octavia/Superb from Skoda - are these products considered mass market or premium? Time and again, VAG is fooling around with too many loose ends that cannot cater to even its fan boys, let alone the entire market.

Off-topic - off late I see many legacy brands with exceptions, suffering and facing challenges across the world in all markets. The most affected are the European and American brands. I see this as a radical shift in the way that these brands operate and their attitude in general as well as towards mass markets.

sh3lby · 24th March 2024, 01:56

Volkswagen has so much Potential in India. Such a shame they're floundering around like this.
Forget only enthusiasts, they are wasting their potential for mass market cars too.
There was even a recent article where VW's executive director said on an India visit how 'the roads have improved and people have more spending power for premium cars'. All well and good but when will they act on it??
(https://m.economictimes.com/industry.../108687348.cms)

voldemort · 24th March 2024, 08:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by volkman10

VW will go premium while Skoda will go with mass market products.

This is something I don't understand; isn't Skoda the actually more premium brand?

I always found the Laura/Octavia more luxurious than the Jetta, the Kodiaq more luxurious than the Tiguan, and the Superb L&K far more opulent than the Passat. And unlike other VWs mentioned in this paragraph, the Passat was something I wouldn't even have considered because to me it lacks a sense of occasion; I would pick a Camry over a Passat, and a Superb over a Camry.

I mean, VWs are good understated cars and I like them, but Skoda interiors always felt nicer to me.

Hope I haven't offended anyone.

Anyway, I do hope they bring the Polo or Golf to India, atleast as a CBU. And I also hope Skoda brings in their Fabia.

argho · 24th March 2024, 08:25

In Europe, VW is a premium brand, and Skoda is their low cost brand (East European heritage).

In India, Skoda was launched and positioned as premium brand much before VW entered. VW is now struggling to change the positioning and be seen as more premium than Skoda.

omranga98 · 24th March 2024, 08:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by volkman10

VW will go premium while Skoda will go with mass market products.

Should be the other way round. Skoda has been selling executive sedans far more successfully and the general premium perception around Skoda is far more than VW. Why play with this?

Also VW has been all talk and no show for a couple of years so i would take this as a damage control press release for the recent trashy launch.

volkman10 · 24th March 2024, 08:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by omranga98

Should be the other way round. Skoda has been selling executive sedans far more successfully and the general premium perception around Skoda is far more than VW. Why play with this?-

IMO, that is the change which is coming.
Re-badged cars are not working well with the brand. Skoda India is leading the VAG group India. The upcoming Compact SUV will be from Skoda. Only if very successful the VW brand will get one. Whereas in Brazil the same Compact SUV will be only from VW.

Skoda will touch upon the entry level segment up to its flagship Kodiaq in India.

VW will lead the EV products and some premium(halo) products for India starting with CBU's.

Strategy might change once they exceed the target market share. ( which is not met consistently so far!)

ProLearner · 24th March 2024, 23:57

What are they evaluating? And for how long? Just look at the T-Roc, all were sold in the 2 years they imported them. The VRS Skodas were also all sold quickly and are still in demand in the used market.
They are wasting so much time and loosing prospective buyers. They should have kept bringing in CBUs along with the India 2.0 cars, even if in small numbers to keep a bigger portfolio and get a varied customer base. They haven't launched an EV yet, nor did they bring another batch of T-Rocs.
They should bring in the GTI or Golf R as CBU, and the Polo, T-Roc, Jetta as CKDs.

They have only 3 cars in their lineup and the Tiguan although a good car, is under-equipped for the price (basic alloys, no cooled seats, no diesel even though they sell it in Europe).

23rd May 2023, 22:09	#31
Guna Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 4,056 Thanked: 4,295 Times	Re: Rumour : VW Polo could return as an import in GTI form Has VW quietly launched the Polo GTI? https://news24online.com/auto/volksw...etails/136591/
	() Thanks

24th May 2023, 11:29	#32
Bhodrolok BHPian Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Bangalore Posts: 537 Thanked: 1,254 Times	Re: Rumour : VW Polo could return as an import in GTI form Had called VW Palace Cross in Bangalore, they did not have any details about it. However their sales manager promised to do some digging up and come back to me.
	(1) Thanks

2nd June 2023, 11:26	#34
Epic Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,560 Thanked: 932 Times	Re: Rumour : VW Polo could return as an import in GTI form The news by Indian auto websites made it appear that it is being launched in India as well on 1st June. I was literally checking the web and VW India website almost everyday to know about the launch in India. Unfortunately, his was never the case.
	() Thanks

23rd March 2024, 00:22	#37
Chetan_Rao Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 5,973 Thanked: 24,310 Times	Re: Rumour : VW Polo could return as an import in GTI form That there's a non-zero chance they might actually be more popular - and arguably more profitable per unit - with CBU units than locally-built ones, says everything about their atrocious India product strategy.
	(8) Thanks

23rd March 2024, 18:11	#38
GeeTee TSI Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: KA01 Posts: 1,304 Thanked: 2,901 Times View My Garage	Re: Rumour : VW Polo could return as an import in GTI form A one time import of 200 GTis - that's it, VW?! Skoda atleast launched a vRS in most of the Octavia generations while selling the regular Octavia all along. Enthusiasts have been given the raw deal by VW time and again
	(1) Thanks

23rd March 2024, 20:31	#39
Livnletcarsliv BHPian Join Date: Feb 2021 Location: TN66/TN14 Posts: 886 Thanked: 2,178 Times	Re: Rumour : VW Polo could return as an import in GTI form Is this what VW is going to do it to keep the brand alive in India? Selling only premium products like GTI/R, where hardly it will be around 2000-3000 units per year? So what will happen to products like Kodiaq/Octavia/Superb from Skoda - are these products considered mass market or premium? Time and again, VAG is fooling around with too many loose ends that cannot cater to even its fan boys, let alone the entire market. Off-topic - off late I see many legacy brands with exceptions, suffering and facing challenges across the world in all markets. The most affected are the European and American brands. I see this as a radical shift in the way that these brands operate and their attitude in general as well as towards mass markets.
	(2) Thanks

24th March 2024, 01:56	#40
sh3lby BHPian Join Date: Mar 2023 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 127 Thanked: 683 Times View My Garage	Re: Rumour : VW Polo could return as an import in GTI form Volkswagen has so much Potential in India. Such a shame they're floundering around like this. Forget only enthusiasts, they are wasting their potential for mass market cars too. There was even a recent article where VW's executive director said on an India visit how 'the roads have improved and people have more spending power for premium cars'. All well and good but when will they act on it?? (https://m.economictimes.com/industry.../108687348.cms)
	(2) Thanks

24th March 2024, 08:25	#42
argho BHPian Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: Chennai Posts: 28 Thanked: 66 Times	Re: Rumour : VW Polo could return as an import in GTI form In Europe, VW is a premium brand, and Skoda is their low cost brand (East European heritage). In India, Skoda was launched and positioned as premium brand much before VW entered. VW is now struggling to change the positioning and be seen as more premium than Skoda.
	(2) Thanks

24th March 2024, 23:57	#45
ProLearner BHPian Join Date: Jan 2023 Location: Lonavala Posts: 99 Thanked: 112 Times	Re: Rumour : VW Polo could return as an import in GTI form What are they evaluating? And for how long? Just look at the T-Roc, all were sold in the 2 years they imported them. The VRS Skodas were also all sold quickly and are still in demand in the used market. They are wasting so much time and loosing prospective buyers. They should have kept bringing in CBUs along with the India 2.0 cars, even if in small numbers to keep a bigger portfolio and get a varied customer base. They haven't launched an EV yet, nor did they bring another batch of T-Rocs. They should bring in the GTI or Golf R as CBU, and the Polo, T-Roc, Jetta as CKDs. They have only 3 cars in their lineup and the Tiguan although a good car, is under-equipped for the price (basic alloys, no cooled seats, no diesel even though they sell it in Europe).
	(2) Thanks