First unit of all-new Skoda Kushaq rolls off production line at Pune plant

Skoda Auto India has started production of the Kushaq at the Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Pvt Ltd (SAVWIPL) plant in Chakan, Pune. Customer deliveries are planned to begin in July 2021. The Skoda Kushaq comes with TSI engine options, which have been manufactured locally.

The Skoda Kushaq is based on the MQB-A0-IN, a variant of the modular MQB -A0 platform, specially adapted by Skoda for the Indian and global markets. The vast know-how of highly qualified local engineers was leveraged to enable high localisation. There is strong involvement of the existing supplier base and local manufacturing in the development. The objective was to match traditional Skoda qualities with the requirements of Indian customers.

Gurpratap Boparai, Managing Director, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Pvt Ltd, said, “The production roll out of the first car under the India 2.0 project marks a historic milestone for Skoda Auto and the Volkswagen Group in India. It stands testament to a great collaboration between our teams across the globe and here in India. We have managed to achieve localisation levels up to 95 per cent, which truly puts the engineering and manufacturing expertise of India on the global map. With Skoda Kushaq, we will be present in one of the fastest growing segments of the automotive industry. We look forward to offering customers an SUV that stands out for its emotive design, unmatched performance, superior build quality, outstanding safety, and numerous Simply Clever solutions, enabling an exemplary value proposition.”

Zac Hollis, Brand Director, Skoda Auto India, said “With the start of production of the all new Kushaq, we are looking at a new chapter to mark the success story of Skoda Auto in India. India’s preference for SUVs has continued to grow steadily over the years. The Kushaq will offer an unparalleled driving experience and brings together all the attributes that matter to an SUV buyer. The team is gearing up for the launch later this month. We have already increased our network reach substantially and have instituted several best practices towards ensuring customer delight. With Kushaq, we are looking forward to welcoming more customers into the Skoda family.”

The name of the mid-size SUV is derived from Sanskrit, an Indian language that is thousands of years old. In the ‘language of the gods’ still used today, the word ‘Kushak’ means a king or an emperor.