European car major Volkswagen (VW) on Wednesday termed India as a crucial market for its growth and said that it will introduce new models, including the newly-launched up! concept, in the country to beef up its portfolio.
The up! is the new mini car concept the company introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show and VW member of the board of management UlrichHackenberg said that it will be launched in India by 2010. ?We are looking for the up! for the Indian market and it will be introduced in the market by 2010,? Hackenberg said on the sidelines of the Tokyo Motor Show.
VW on Wednesday introduced a new member of the ‘new small family’ cars as it unveiled the space up! concept.
?The world premiere of the two-door city specialist up! at Frankfurt served as an initial test to see how the concept of our ?New Small Family? would be received in Europe. And the results are more than favourable,? Hackenberg said while launching the space up! concept.
VW, that has started selling the luxury sedan ?Passat? in India, is setting up a plant at Maharashtra. Hackenberg said the company had plans to launch the ‘Polo’ compact in the market that will be manufactured at its upcoming factory. He said the Tiguan SUV that it has unveiled at Frankfurt could also come to India.
?It is a possibility as we want to expand our base in India rapidly,? he said. Hackenberg said the Indian market was growing rapidly and was important to VW?s future growth plans. ?It is a market that is growing fast and we want to expand further here,? he said.
(The travel for these stories was sponsored by Honda)