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Volvo targets India as top growth mkt

Last Updated 20 April 2015, 18:17 IST

Volvo Auto India, an arm of Swedish car company Volvo owned by Geely of China, has big hopes when it comes to the market in India. The company is aiming for the highest growth globally from the Indian market according to Volvo Auto India managing director Tomas Ernberg.

“The sales growth for Volvo globally is likely to be around 10 per cent. Last year, we sold 1,200 units in India and this year we have plans to sell around 2,000 cars for the full year, which is an increase of around 68 per cent,” Ernberg told Deccan Herald.
The target for 2,000 cars in India was set by the end of last year and we certainly hope to overhaul that target which means that the Indian market will have the highest growth in the world, Ernberg added. Ernberg said that the company is still evaluating plans for local manufacturing in India.

“Right now our cars are totally imported. However, sooner or later, local manufacturing/assembly is surely on the cards. A decision in this regard has not been taken yet but it will definitely come. The volumes here in India will definitely have a say as to when we start local manufacturing,” he said.

“We are evaluating all the options, including a greenfield one, or using the manufacturing facility of an existing automobile company to manufacture/assemble cars here,” Ernberg said. He added that the final call will be taken by the dedicated team which is responsible for  identifying manufacturing opportunities worldwide.

Volvo India, which had not launched petrol cars for a long while now, plans to launch some cars in the petrol segment as well now. “There was no demand for petrol cars due to which we had discontinued them. However, with the difference between petrol and diesel prices decreasing, we plan to have more cars in the petrol segment as well,” Ernberg said.

“As far as the V-40 cross country is concerned, we are looking at 30 per cent sales of petrol cars and 70 per cent of diesel cars,” Ernberg added. Volvo Auto India on Monday launched the petrol variant of V40 Cross Country in India.

The V40 Cross Country, a popular cross-country vehicle since its launch in 2013, will now provide customers a more economical driving option. It has been priced at Rs 27 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai without octroi).

Currently V40 Cross Country is the only car in India by Volvo Cars that is available in both diesel and petrol versions.

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(Published 20 April 2015, 18:17 IST)

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