Skoda Superb rolls into TN

SkodaAuto India, part of the German auto major Volkswagen, expects to sell 24 units of its new E segment offering the 'Skoda Superb' in Tamil Nadu by the end of December 2003.

The company is also planning to launch an automatic version of its best selling diesel Octavia by the second or third quarter of next year.

Skoda expects total sales of about 450 units, including the Superb, in Tamil Nadu in the current calendar year.

The company expects to sell 575 units in the state for the calendar year 2004. SkodaIndia officials said that close to 100 units of next years sales in Tamil Nadu would be accounted for by the newly launched E segment car, Skoda Superb. The rest would be its D segment offering the Skoda Octavia.

The company plans to open its second showroom in the state in Coimbatore by the month end. It will also open a second service facility in Chennai by month end.

At the all-India level, Skoda is targeting sales of 8500 units in the calendar year 2004. The current year sales is expected to be in the region of 5000, which only a marginal growth over 4500 units sold in 2002.

The company expects its new CKD plant at Aurangabad, Maharasthra, to be ready for commercial production by the third week of January 2004. The plant has a capacity to manufacture 15,000 vehicles per annum.

Bipin Datar, the general manager (sales and marketing) of SkodaAuto India, said the construction of the new CKD plant at Aurangabad was 45 per cent complete.

When Skoda entered the Indian markets, two years ago, it had committed an investment of $ 56 million, spread over a seven-year time frame.

Addressing news persons at the launch of Skoda Superb, here today Datar said, "at present we are focussing only on the domestic market. Exports to SAARC countries are expected to commence by the middle of next year. We are looking at Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and possibly Pakistan too as possible export markets from the sub-continent."

As part of the indigenisation programme, Skoda has chosen Goodyear for supply of tyres, and is in talks for supplies of headlights, batteries and horns.

The current level of indigenisation is around 40 per cent and it is expected to touch 70 per cent by 2004 end.