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K. Giriprakash

Bangalore , Jan. 13

SKODA Auto has begun work on developing a passenger car for the Asian market, including India; while it is all set to launch the latest version of Octavia during the second half of 2005.

Last year, Skoda had revealed that it is looking at the possibility of developing a car for the Asia. "The work is on. We will unveil the plans at an appropriate time," the Skoda Auto India Manager, Marketing, Mr Shashank Vaid, told Business Line.

A detailed study has already been undertaken in this regard.

He said that the latest version of Octavia, which was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2004, would be launched during the second half of this year. The 2005 model of Octavia will supplement the existing Octavia, and will be positioned at the top end of its segment.

The new Octavia was designed at the tech centre at Mlada Boleslar in the Cezch Republic. The new version, called Octavia II, shares the chasis with the Golf, and has been built on the experience gained from within the Skoda rally team and from the VW parent group.

It is offered with petrol engines with modern direct-injection technology as well as turbo-diesel engines based on pump-nozzle injection systems. The petrol version comes in the 1.4 lt, 1.6 lt and 2 lt capacities while the diesel version comes in the 1.9 and 2 lt engines.

Skoda Auto India, a fully-owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen group, declared last week that the company's sales in the current year are expected to grow 32 per cent because of a higher demand for passenger cars in the domestic market.

Skoda, which has a CKD unit near Aurangabad, plans to start manufacturing an entire car once the sales touch the 40,000 mark. Skoda Auto's Member of the Board of Management, Mr Karl-Gunter Busching, had earlier said the carmaker would build on the success of its existing models instead of rushing into launching more cars. The company is also planning to use India as an export hub.

Skoda sold about 7,200 vehicles in 2004, which was 55 per cent higher than the previous year's 4,656 units. The company now expects to sell 13,200 units in 2005.

During the last three years, Skoda sold a total of 16,500 units. Skoda currently sells seven luxury models which includes, the top end L&K, Elegance, Automatic, Ambiente, RS, Rider and Superb.

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