New Delhi: The German brand has a big launch in India for the Volkswagen Virtuous 2022 – a mid-sized sedan that will eventually replace the 12-year-old Vento. The Volkswagen Virtue launch schedule is now on track, despite possible delays due to the pandemic. The model, a facelift of the car already sold in South America, will make its global debut in March, and will launch in India in the second half of May 2022.
In a recent interview, Ashish Gupta, Brand Director, Volkswagen India, said, “We will introduce and complete our portfolio with the launch of a new global sedan, which will have its world premiere in early March and then by the third of May. The model will be introduced in the week.”
While the Volkswagen Virtue sedan has been on sale in several South American markets since 2018, the facelift was yet to come, and it is the same model that will make its global debut in India. It will first go on sale for Indian customers only, after which it will launch in South America and other markets.
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Expect the Volkswagen Virtus facelift to get the usual set of cosmetic changes on the exteriors – revised bumpers, grille, headlamps and alloy wheels, as well as new equipment on the interiors. The Virtus is a much bigger car in comparison to the Vento, and when it goes on sale in India, it will likely have class-leading dimensions, interior and boot space. In fact, according to a source, there were plans within the company to call this sedan the Jetta, given how big it has become, but this discussion was eventually scrapped in favor of sticking with the global nomenclature.
The India-spec sedan from Volkswagen will be underpinned by the same MQB A0-IN platform that is used by Volkswagen Group’s ‘India 2.0’ models – the Volkswagen Taigun, the koda Kushak and the upcoming koda Slavia sedans, which will be launched before the Volkswagen Virtus. Will happen.
koda and Volkswagen used equipment and features as another point of difference between the Kushak and Taigun, so expect that to be the case here. The feature list of the Volkswagen Virtus will likely mimic the Taigun SUV, which means a 10.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a digital instrument cluster, wireless phone charging, connected car tech, leatherette upholstery, a sunroof, keyless entry and go, auto headlamps and more. Wipers, a tyre-pressure monitor, LED headlamps, automatic climate control and six airbags.
Like the Taigun, Kushak and Slavia, the Volkswagen Virtue sedan for India will come with two petrol engine options – a 115hp, 1.0 TSI three-cylinder turbo engine and a 150hp, 250Nm, 1.5 TSI four-cylinder turbo engine. The 1.0 TSI will likely be available with a 6-speed manual and 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission, while the 1.5 TSI is expected to come with a 7-speed DSG automatic gearbox and a 6-speed manual.