Two of the big names in the auto industry are gearing up for Indian tracks. Volvo and Volkswagen will try and prove their worth for the Indian roads after all the years of making big in the global auto scene. Volkswagen a Germany based auto giant is the fourth largest auto producer in the world whereas Volvo is a Swedish company having its expertise in supplying commercial transport vehicles like trucks, buses and construction equipment and the list varies adding various other involvements.
Volkswagens bid to conquer the emerging Indian market 
Talking about Volkswagen the company has launched its luxury car Passat in the sub- continent. The 2000cc diesel car is equipped with a wide variety of contemporary features. The car will be making an entry with two versions, both diesel, working on four cylinder TDi 2.0 liter highline engines.
The engines are capable of delivering a maximum of 140 bhp and 320 Nm of torque at 1750-2500 rpm. The car will be able to reach a top speed of 209 km/h, making 0-100 in just 9.8 seconds. It comes uploaded with some impressive safety features ranging from eight airbags, Electronic Stabilization programme (ESP) to Anti Brake locking system (ABS). Along with these, the Indian version has some additional features incorporated, viz. the front seat with a twelve way electronic adjustment, rear front parking sensors, bi-xenon head lights with self cleaning system, anti theft warning system, and a steering wheel with multiple functions such as operating facility for gear changing alongwith an electronic tilting glass roof.
Passat has been a success story for Volkswagen in the past and has sold around 14 million units since it made its debut in the year 1973. Volkswagen group sales India are pretty excited with this launch as its managing director Joerg Mueller expressed
Passat will set the pace for our future product launches in India as it is the key market for our overall strategic growth plans.
Both the variants will be priced around Rs 22.35 lakh (Indian) and Rs 24.35 lakh and the car is expected to compete with the likes of Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Skoda Superb. The car is to make an appearance at all three of the companies’ dealership network which is to be expanded to ten by the end of this year.
With the launch of two diesel variants it seems that Volkswagen is ready and all prepared for the Indian market tests and are here after doing all their homework. In the initial stages both the models will get assembled at the Aurangabad plant of Skoda (subsidiary for VW) until its Rs 2,4501 crore, Pune plant is ready for production.
Two popular models from the company VW Phaeton and Touareg are already being imported in the country by dealers; Passat will be imported as a CKD kit.
Volvo eyeing for an Indian Auto Market Share
Talking about the Swedish car maker Volvo the company is ready to start its sales operation in the country with its two models S80 Luxury Sedan and the Volvo XC90 Sports Utility Vehicle. Both the models will be coming with three different engine alternatives; 4.4 liter petrol V8, the 3.2 liter petrol in-line six-cylinder and the 2.4 liter turbocharged diesel in-line five-cylinder, the D5.
The company will be making business from the three dealerships around the country in Chandigarh, New Delhi and Mumbai which will be open in the autumn of 2007. The company is pretty ambitious about its Indian operations as MD for Volvo India Mr. Paul de Voijs cited
Volvo Cars is now starting up operations in India, a country with huge potential. We are proud to be able to offer two of our top car models to our Indian customers.
The company has just inaugurated its headquarters for the country at New Delhi. On the 2nd of September the office got an opening in the traditional Indian custom, in a ceremony which was jointly headed by the minister of Transport for Haryana Government, Mr. Rao Dan Singh, Sweden’s ambassador to India Mr. Lars-Olof Lindgren and Swedish Trade Commissioner Mr. Fredrik Fexe.
Indian Market the next big thing
Statements by the global automotive giant officials in the recent past have highlighted the fact that the Asian industry is next on their list and India would be a major part of all the production expansions to come. These giants surely don’t lack the wherewithal to conquer this emerging market but one shouldn’t forget the understanding of the market of well established car makers like the Maruti-Suzuki alliance which has gone from strength to strength and to dethrone such players the global giants will have their mettle tested out.
Currently Indian ranks 8th in the overall production list aggregated for countries with US predictably topping it, but the recent slump in the profits in the North American Market means that India would be Invaded heavily and the that ranking would all but decline.
