New-gen VW Polo And Sub-4-Metre SUV Planned For India

Volkswagen is reported to be developing two new sub-4-metre cars for India: a compact SUV and a hatchback, with the latter likely being the new-gen Volkswagen Polo.

The Volkswagen Polo has recorded quite a lot of success globally.

While the sixth-gen Polo started to go on sale globally in June 2017, India continues to have the fifth-gen model, introduced in March 2009, on sale in the market. The international-spec sixth-gen Polo has witnessed an increase in size in comparison to the outgoing model, which makes it measure greater than four metres in length. Steffen Knapp, the director of Volkswagen Passenger Cars India, stated, “If you come to India (and) want to be successful in hatchbacks, you have to be sub-4 metre”.

Therefore, to enjoy the tax benefits of a sub-4-metre car, the India-spec Volkswagen Polo, the “backbone” of the German auto manufacturer in India, has to be developed with the package constraint in mind. A sub-4-metre compact SUV, which will compete with the Ford EcoSport, Hyundai Venue and Maruti Vitara Brezza is also reported to be on the cards. It is said to be codenamed VW246 and is likely to be revealed as a concept model at the 2020 Sao Paulo Motor Show in November.

The international-spec VW Polo is currently supported by the MQB A0 structure. The problem is that this platform measures 4,054 mm in length. The new-gen Volkswagen Polo and the VW246 are expected to be underpinned by the MQB A0 IN platform which has been specifically developed for India. The platform has been transformed a little bit to help the two cars fit the sub-4-metre segment.

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The new Volkswagen Polo and the new compact SUV will receive its power from a gasoline burner only. The motor is likely to be a 1.0-litre 3-cyl turbo gasoline burner which can generate 115 BHP against 200 Nm. The transmission duties are expected to be handled by both manual and automatic units. CNG fuel option is also being considered.