Skoda Octavia vRS India launch delayed

The demand for D1-segment sedans continues to remain meagre in the Indian car market. While the Toyota Corolla Altis manages around 1,000 factory dispatches a month, rivals in the segment see up to 250-300 dispatches at best. Skoda manages to move around 150-200 units of the Octavia a month and this modest demand has delayed the launch of the performance spec vRS that was launched with the previous avatars of the Octavia.

While the want for a performance version of the Octavia is prevalent, the actual number of people who will go through with the final purchase is relatively small. The price of the vRS, if brought to India, is likely to range between Rs. 26-28 Lakh. This would put it very close to D2 segment Skoda Superb, not to mention the fact that premium sedans are largely sought after for their diesel engines. These factors seem to have demotivated Skoda from going through with the process homologating the new engine and launching the Octavia vRS.

The new Skoda Octavia vRS made its worldwide debut at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed. The performance saloon is offered with a 2.0-litre TSI petrol engine that makes 217 BHP @ 4,500-6,200 rpm and 350 Nm of torque 1,500-4,400 rpm. The car does the 0-100 km/h run in around 7 seconds and hits a top speed of 248 km/h. Transmission options include a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed DSG automatic gearbox that transmit power to the front wheels. The Octavia currently sold in India is offered with 1.4 and 1.8-litre TSI petrols, along with a 2.0-litre TDI diesel engine.

Source: Autocar