German automaker, Volkswagen has announced to launch an all-new mid-sized sedan in India by the end of 2021. The new sedan is rumoured to be the Virtus on sale in select international markets. The VW Virtus sedan has been spotted testing multiple times on the Indian roads. Volkswagen could also use this as a testing bed for the upcoming mid-sized sedan, which will replace the Vento sedan.
The Volkswagen Virtus is based on the MQB AO platform, which also underpins the T-Cross and the new Polo. The India-spec model will also use the heavily localised MQB AO IN platform, which will also underpin the Taigun mid-sized SUV. The Taigun will be launched in the country by mid-2021. It will be positioned against the likes of the Hyundai Verna, Maruti Suzuki Ciaz and the Honda City.
The sedan will be offered with 2 petrol engine options – a 1.0-litre 3-cylinder turbocharged and a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder turbocharged. While the former is good for 108bhp and 175Nm of torque, the 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit will produce around 147bhp and 250Nm of torque. The 1.0L engine will be offered with 6-speed manual and 6-speed torque convertor automatic gearbox. The 1.5L engine will be offered with a 7-speed DSG automatic gearbox.
The new VW Virtus rides on a 2,650mm long wheelbase, which is around 80mm more than that of the new gen Polo hatchback. It measures 4.48mm in length, 1,751mm wider and 1,468mm taller. The sedan has a luggage carrying capacity of 521-litres.
The mid-sized sedan is equipped with decent comfort and convenience features. It features an all-digital 10.25-inch active info display on the dashboard and 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which is compatible with MirrorLink, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Adding to it, the sedan gets automatic climate control, leather-seats, multi-functional steering wheel, etc.
