New VW Passat B8 expected in India in February 2016 - Report

A list of reasons delay the launch.

The new VW Passat (B8) is expected to launch in India only in February 2016, says a report on Autocar India. The publication says that a list of reasons are delaying the launch of the luxury sedan in the country, but the company is nevertheless committed on launching the car.

For the Indian model, the new Passat's 2.0-liter TDI engine will need to pass through Indian homologation norms and BS-4 emission norms. While the Passat's engine complies with stricter norms in Europe, VW is likely to adapt it for BS-4 norms in India to save costs on expensive hardware, and for making it better suitable for our fuel quality.

Also, compared to the previous generation Passat, VW India could increase the localization levels of the car to arrive at better pricing, but a plant upgrade is expected to delay this process. And finally, thanks to international demand, the Indian arm of the German car maker needs to queue up for allocation of kits.

Based on the new MQB architecture, the new Passat is 85 kg lighter than its predecessor. Alongside regular four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, VW also showed the Passat GTE at the Paris Motor Show in October last year.

Also read: VW Jetta facelift brochure, images

For the Indian market, the Passat is likely to be powered by a 2.0-liter TDI engine mated to a DSG transmission driving the front wheels.

Competitors: Hyundai Sonata, Skoda Superb, Toyota Camry
Expected Price: INR 20-25 lakhs
Launch date: Early-2016

[Source - Autocar India]