Skoda has indicated that it is likely to announce about 2-3 new products next year as the Volkswagen Group’s value luxury brand is gearing up for stable growth curve in India with the revamped dealer network and expanded product offerings.
The new products may come in existing and new segments, but it didn’t elaborate. The company has asserted that the compact SUV is an attractive segment where it seeks to strengthen its position going forward.
After hit by the turbulence period of auto industry, Skoda has ended the first-half of 2015 with a positive growth.
“We have been able to bring stability and growth back to our business in India. Our sales have been consistent. So, we finished the first-half with growth and we expect the second-half to be much better. Our expectation is that we should be clocking annual volumes of 17,000-17,500, translating to 8-10 per cent growth in 2015,” Ashutosh Dixit, Director of Sales, Services and Marketing, SkodaAuto India, told The Hindu .
The company’s annual sales stood at 15,538 units in 2014, down 31 per cent when compared with 22,563 units in 2013.
However, Skoda managed to increase its sales with existing product range during this calendar year, while new launches have been spurring sales for most of the other brands.
Mr. Dixit felt that its growth was a result of strong establishment of brand in the country. “Skoda is already well-established in customers’ minds in terms of quality with an accessible price proposition. This will be our brand positioning. With this goal, we intend to emerge stronger in every segment we operate,” he added
SkodaAuto India, which presently sells sedans and a premium SUV, has seen stronger traction for its upper-end variants in every segment. The company claimed it held higher share than competition in top price categories of sedan segments. Meanwhile, the company’s dealer outlets are undergoing revamp to sport a fresh and premium look in line with its brand strategy. “We are revamping our network both from the point of quality of service and infrastructure,” he said. By the end of 2015, about 15-20 outlets will sport a new look, while most of the other dealers are expected to complete the revamp exercise by next year.
