The
Volkswagen-owned Czechoslovakian car company Skoda is to launch locally-assembled
versions of its mid-sized Octavia five-door hatchback in India early in September.
Skoda Auto India, established in December 1999, will build the cars from CKD
and SKD kits at its new Aurangabad plant.
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The
Skoda Octavia |
Priced from just over one million rupees (about $US23,400), the diesel version,
powered by a turbocharged 1.9-litre Volkswagen-designed engine, will arrive
first, followed a few months later by a two-litre petrol model, also VW-powered.
Indians will eventually be able to choose from a full range of modern Skoda
models as there are also plans to launch the smaller Fabia five-door hatchback,
four-door Fabia saloon, five-door Fabia Combi (a five-door fastback
station wagon derivative of the hatchback) and an Octavia five-door with the
luxury Laurent & Klements leather trim/equipment package named after Skodas
founders.
The Aurangabad factory, which represents a VW Group investment of US$56 million,
will initially assemble just 20 cars per day.
Skoda Auto India has modest launch aims; it has set a sales target of only
500-600 units from launch until the end of the year.

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By GlobalDataHowever, the company has ambitious plans.
In an interview with AutoAsia Online late last year, the head of Volkswagen
AG’s Asia-Pacific operations, Stefan Jacoby, projected much higher output levels
before long. "[We are] aiming to manufacture and deliver 10,000 units per
year," he said.
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