Volkswagen Taigun production begins at Chakan plant

- VW Taigun rolls off the production line

- Pre-bookings open for the mid-size SUV

- Launch expected next month

Volkswagen India has commenced the production of its much-awaited Taigun SUV at its Chakan plant in Pune. We are all awaiting its launch date and VW continues to be tight-lipped, holding on to the excitement probably till the festive season.

The made-for-India VW Taigun that you see rolling off the production line is based on the future-ready MQB A0-IN platform. Yes, it's the same as the one its cousin the Skoda Kushaq is based on. Still, it’s interesting how the Taigun adopts a very different design philosophy, as was shown to us earlier at the 2020 Auto Expo. The mid-size SUV's fascia is more like a compact Tiguan, but the LED tail lamps and the LED light bar across the rear make it look unique. On the inside, the Taigun's USP remains to be the 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system along with digital instrument cluster.

On the powertrain front, this petrol-only SUV will be offered either with a 1.0-litre TSI engine producing 114bhp and 175Nm of torque, or a 1.5-litre TSI mill churning out 148bhp and 250Nm of torque. VW offers a six-speed manual transmission as standard with both engines. However, the 1.0-litre engine gets an optional six-speed automatic gearbox, while the 1.5-litre motor gets a seven-speed DSG.

We expect Volkswagen to announce the variant-wise pricing of the Taigun by next month and price it close to the Skoda Kushaq. Upon launch, it will be slotted into the mid-size SUV segment going up against the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos as well. Currently, the carmaker has begun with the pre-bookings for the car and prospective buyers can now become a part of the 'Taigun Squad'. For more information, log on to its official website.