Skoda Auto India began production of its much anticipated entry level sedan, the SKODA Rapid at its plant in Chakan, near Pune today. SKODA Rapid is the first car from the SKODA brand which has been designed, keeping in mind the special needs of Indian customers and will be exclusively manufactured in India.
“Today is the official Start of Production for the Indian variant of our new Rapid compact saloon. Effective immediately, the first unit of the SKODA Rapid will be rolling off the line in this plant. The car will be introduced in the market shortly. It is an attractive car with lots of space and room for five persons.” Prof. Dr. Winfried Vahland, Chairman of the Board of Management, SKODA Auto a.s. commented.
Manufacturing of the all new SKODA Rapid will take place at the Chakan plant. The car will be offered with a choice of diesel and petrol engines. The commencement of production of SKODA Rapid is in line with SKODA Auto’s 2018 growth strategy which aims to double sales globally to at least 1.5 million units.
SKODA Rapid will be entirely manufactured in India. It will be positioned at the entry level of the country’s mid-sized sedan segment. With the introduction of the SKODA Rapid, SKODA will now offer cars to suit the needs of a larger customer base in India.
The Pune plant is a key element in SKODA Auto’s India strategy. The scale of investment, commissioning local suppliers and employing people primarily from the region itself demonstrate SKODA Auto’s commitment to India. SKODA is making an important contribution to the economic development in the region and also in the Indian economy in general.