Volkswagen to introduce the Beetle in India

New Delhi: German luxury car maker, Volkswagen (VW) plans to launch the Beetle in India. According to Volkswagen India president and managing director Joerg Mueller, the Beetle will be introduced in 2009 after the company strengthens its dealership network in the country.

The original 'people's car' will be used as a brand building tool in a bid to get into the highly competitive Indian compact car segment by 2010, said  Volkswagen.

Volkswagen BeetleCurrently the iconic Beetle is  manufactured in Mexico for VW's worldwide supplies and could come to India through the completely built unit import route.

The company is investing 580 million euros (approx Rs3,600 crore) to set up a manufacturing facility at Chakan in Maharashtra. Volkswagen says that the Chakan plant will roll out compact cars based on the Polo platform in two variants -- hatchback and sedan, by the first half of 2010.

The company will also produce the new Skoda Fabia in 2009 from Chakan, according to a company official. Skoda Auto, a subsidiary of Volkswagen, is a carmaker from the Czech Republic

Volkswagen is on a dealership network expansion. The company has eight dealers in the country and plans to increase to 15 by the end of this year.