The upcoming mid-size sedan will act as a replacement to the Skoda Rapid and it will be based on MQB A0 IN platform
Zac Hollis, Director of Skoda Auto India Limited, has confirmed in a recent interview that the second model based on the India-specific MQB A0 IN architecture will be a mid-sized sedan. It looks like Skoda has not given up bringing a replacement for the Rapid despite the volume shrink in the C-segment as customers are largely preferring mid-size SUVs in recent years.
The Czech Republican manufacturer took up the charge for the India 2.0 project as part of the Volkswagen Group. It plays a significant role in the revival of Skoda and Volkswagen as several new vehicles are in the pipeline. Both the global auto majors have not tasted success in India despite being around for years and thus the new strategy holds key with an investment of more than one billion Euros.
The main area of focus is undoubtedly localising the future products as the country-specific MQB A0 IN platform has been developed to bring the production costs down. Skoda unveiled the Vision IN concept at the 2020 Auto Expo earlier this year and at the same show, Volkswagen debuted the Taigun concept. The design studies are definitely spawning mid-size SUVs.
While having several commonalities including the MQB A0 IN platform with more than 90 per cent of local content, they will have different design identities and characteristics pertaining to each brand’s preferences. The same route will be followed by the mid-size sedans as the Skoda Rapid and Volkswagen Vento are about to be replaced in a year or two.
The brand new mid-size sedan from Skoda is expected to go on sale before the end of next year and the Volkswagen badged version could come a few months later. The initial priorities of the duo is their respective mid-size SUVs slated to arrive as early as late 2020 or during the course of next year.
Hollis admitted in the interview that Skoda is working on launching Karoq, Rapid TSI and superb facelift in the coming months. He lauded the upcoming mid-size sedan and said: “I have seen the car and it is absolutely fantastic”. He believes that it will hamper the drop in sale in the C-segment for sedans and it could be bigger and boast more features compared to the outgoing Rapid with a thoroughly updated design.