Skoda Auto Volkswagen India(SAVWI) plant in Chakan, Pune, witnessed a celebration of sorts today as many initiatives taken in the recent past culminate today. The plant commenced production of the first car under the India 2.0 project - Kushaq, based on the MQB-A0-IN, a variant of the modular MQB -A0 platform, specially adapted by Skoda for the Indian and global markets.
Another initiative is that a significant portion of the development of the new car has been carried out at the new technology centre, which opened in the city in January 2019.
Besides, the carmaker has achieved localisation levels of up to 95%, putting India’s engineering and manufacturing expertise on the global map. Interestingly, the vast pool of highly qualified local engineers was leveraged to enable high localisation.
According to the company, the locally developed MQB-A0-IN platform provides the technical basis for the new Kushaq and other volume models yet to come. In addition, the platform has been designed to meet the new, stricter safety and emission requirements for India.
There is a strong involvement of the existing supplier base and local manufacturing in the development, and the objective was to match the traditional qualities of the vehicle maker with the requirements of Indian customers, says the company. The new car is powered by TSI engine options, which have also been manufactured locally.
From July, customers can get behind the wheels of the new car, which is offered with a compelling combination of striking design, ample space, comfort, safety features and modern infotainment systems.
Gurpratap Boparai, Managing Director, SAVWI, opines that the new SUV is a testament to a collaboration between the company’s teams across the globe and India. It will help the company present in one of the fastest growing segments of the Indian automotive industry.
Zac Hollis, Brand Director, Skoda Auto India, said the company has substantially increased its retail network and instituted several best practices to ensure customer delight.