Volkswagen Beetle set to scorch Indian roads from 2009

According to Joerg Mueller, president and managing director, Volkswagen India, the German company has decided to bring Beetle to India in 2009.

"The Beetle will come here. After strengthening our dealership network, it will come next year," Mueller said.

Introduced in 1938, the small family car Beetle became the rage worldwide, despite peculiar styling, underpowered motor, rough handling, and high noise levels, and became the longest-running and most-produced automobile of a single design in the history. It also set a benchmark for both generations of American compact cars such as the Chevrolet Corvair, and subcompact cars such as the Ford Pinto and Chevrolet Vega.

In the international poll for the award of the world's most influential car of the 20th century, the Beetle came fourth after the Ford Model T, the Mini, and the Citroën DS.

Basking in the success of the classic Beetle, Volkswagen introduced a new Beetle, or the "bug" as it was lovingly called by the public, in 1998, drawing heavy inspiration from the design cues of the original Beetle. However, unlike the original, the new Beetle has its engine in the front and luggage storage in the rear.

Presently, the new Beetle is manufactured at the VW Puebla factory in Mexico and it is expected to come to India as CBUs (completely built units).

Volkswagen, which launched its sedan Jetta last month, has already found success with its Skoda, Audi and VW Passat variants in the Indian market. The fourth largest automaker in the world is also eyeing India's growing small car market and plans to use the Beetle as a brand building tool.

Volkswagen also plans to make a compact car based on the Polo platform and launch it in 2010. However, it would not compete with the world's cheapest car, Tata Motor's Nano, Mueller said.

"Our small car will be an absolutely new car and designed specially for India. It will be a premium hatchback and will fit in the higher end of the C segment. It has nothing to do with Nano," Mueller said.