Volkswagen’s gets deeper into the Make In India zone with a new diesel engine plant.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis inaugurated Volkswagen India’s brand new diesel engine assembly line yesterday in the presence of Subhash Desai, Minister for Industries, Government of Maharashtra, Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil, Member of the Lok Sabha, Suresh Gore, Member of Maharashtra’s Legislative Assembly and German Consul General of the Mumbai Consulate Michael Siebert.
Set up for an investment of Rs 240 Crore (30 million Euro), the new assembly line has been constructed at the VW plant in Chakan, is spread over 3,450 sq. m and will create 260 direct employment opportunities. The most significant part of this event however is the fact that this bolsters VW’s push for increased localization as the company’s new India specific 1.5L TDi diesel engine (which made its debut under the bonnets of the new Polo, Vento and Skoda Rapid) is going to be produced here from now on.The engines produced will be in two states of tune – the regular 90 PS version and a more powerful 105 PS.
The state-of-the-art engine plant not only features an assembly line but also has facilities for cold tests, a hot test bench and an engine dynamometer, all of which will allow VW to build as well as test engines at this new facility. Once fully ramped up, the new assembly line will be able to roll out up to 98,000 units annually, working in a three-shift system.
Story: Aninda Sardar
Images: VW
