Skoda’s Zac Hollis addressed a question raised on Twitter recently about his brand’s future and here is what he had to say
Zac Hollis, Director of Sales, Service, and Marketing of Skoda Auto India has always been vocal on Twitter and he often replies to queries. A recent interaction saw a Twitter user named Deepak Vats asking Hollis about whether his brand would leave India just as Ford did? The high-profile executive replied with a solid answer reminding him of Skoda’s latest moves in the market.
The Czech automaker has been in charge of the India 2.0 project devised by Volkswagen Group and under which more than one billion euros have been invested in its Indian operation over the last three years. Hollis responded by asking “Why would we invest 8,000 CR into India over the last 3 years if we were thinking of leaving the market?”
He further noted that the company plans to have a “long term future in India with more new products to come”. First off the India 2.0 project was the Kushaq as the midsize SUV entered the domestic market towards the end of June 2021. The production version of the Vision IN Concept showcased at the 2020 Auto Expo was recently followed by the launch of the VW Taigun sibling.
The Kushaq can also be credited with being the first model underpinned by the India-specific MQB A0 IN platform derived from the flexible MQB A0 architecture used in the international markets. The Kushaq carries more than 90 per cent local content but it is priced at a premium over its midsize SUV competitors such as Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos and others, and all has not been smooth sailing so far.
Customers reported breakdown along with malfunctions over engine cut-off, loss of power and repeated warning lights on the Electronic Power Control (EPC) that generally indicates potential issues with fuel injection, accelerator pedal, cruise control and traction control. Hollis recently tweeted that the new despatches are equipped with “more robust fuel pumps” to address the problems.
The Skoda Kushaq derives power from a 115 PS 1.0-litre turbo petrol and a 150 PS 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine. The brand is expected to launch a new midsize sedan that will be positioned above the Rapid early next year.