The Škoda Auto led Volkswagen Group India having secured the prerequisite regulatory and statutory approvals, announced the transformative merger of its three passenger car subsidiaries - Volkswagen India Private Limited (VWIPL), Volkswagen Group Sales India Private Limited (NSC) and Škoda Auto India Private Limited (SAIPL).
The Machinist magazine's Cover Story in the May 2019 titled 'The Skoda Bet' had spoken about this possible merger in the context of the India 2.0 project.
The merger of three former Volkswagen Group entities is an important milestone in the ‘India 2.0' project. The merged entity will be referred to as ‘Škoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited' (SAVWIPL). The entity will be led by Gurpratap Boparai, who will assume the role of its Managing Director. The company will be headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra, operate two production facilities in Pune and Aurangabad, and have regional offices in Mumbai, New Delhi, and other locations across the country. The integration will make more efficient use of the existing synergies in this important growth market.
Bernhard Maier, Škoda Auto CEO, explains: "The operational launch of Škoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited marks an important milestone in the India 2.0 project. This merger creates one of the key prerequisites for working together more efficiently at all levels and achieving our long-term goal: to gain significant market shares for Volkswagen and Škoda by 2025. We will now proceed in a series of quick steps: As early as next year, we will be presenting a specific outlook for our India 2.0 model portfolio at the Auto Expo in Delhi."
Gurpratap Boparai, Managing Director of Škoda Auto Volkswagen India Pvt. Ltd., adds: "With this merger, we plan to combine the technology and management expertise of our team in India and realize our true potential in a challenging, competitive environment. We want to further strengthen our presence in India, ensure the professional development of our employees and safeguard sustainable profitability for our dealers."
The emergence of the merged entity with a strong brand portfolio - Škoda Auto, Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche and Lamborghini is envisioned to serve across market segments and budgets. These brands shall retain their distinctive identities, dealer network as well as implementing their own customer experience initiatives. However, they will be pursuing a shared vision and strategy for the Indian subcontinent.
In July 2018, the Volkswagen Group announced investments of around one billion euros as part of the ‘India 2.0' project. In January 2019, a new technology centre was opened in Pune, India, where vehicles will be developed based on the localized MQB-A0-IN subcompact platform, tailored to the wishes and requirements of local customers. The first step in the model campaign will involve Škoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited launching a mid-size SUV model that will be available from both Škoda and Volkswagen. The company will be presenting the studies at the Auto Expo 2020, which is held in New Delhi from 6 to 9 February 2020.
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