In March 2020, Skoda Auto India manufactured no models. Skoda India has a manufacturing facility located on the outskirts of Aurangabad, Maharashtra. The plant has an annual capacity to manufacture 89,000 units. In the last month of the 2019-20 financial year, the manufacturing facility produced no vehicles in the time.
Before this, in January 2020, production for Skoda stood at 515 units, seeing a drop of 67% from the same month from the previous year. In February 2020, Skoda India had manufactured only 4 units recording a 99% drop in production. However, in March 2020 Skoda manufactured no units.
The Government of India has imposed a nationwide lockdown from Mach 24, 2020 which has now been extended to May 3, 2020. The decision was made by the government to contain the spread of the highly contagious Coronavirus. However, the lockdown cannot contribute to the halt in production for the entire month of March for Skoda as it was only enforced around the last week of the month.
At the plant in Aurangabad, Skoda India assembles four models that include the Rapid, Octavia, Superb and Kodiaq. At the 2020 Auto Expo, Skoda showcased its updates range of models and its upcoming new vehicles for the India market. These models were said to come equipped with new BS6 compliant engines. However, due to the lockdown, the updated models have not been launched as yet.
While Skoda did start the bookings for its performance sedan, the Octavia vRS245 in March 2020, it sold out most of its allocated units in record time. Skoda has also announced that it is accepting bookings for the upcoming Karoq SUV, but prices of the SUV have not been announced and deliveries of all models have been halted due to the lockdown.
As Skoda had not manufactured any vehicles in March and the month of April 2020 is also expected to be under lockdown nationwide. This could have an impact on waiting-periods for customers who have booked a new Skoda vehicle recently.
We reached out to Skoda for a comment for the reasons why no models were manufactured in March and if deliveries will be affected with the delays in production and launch of new models, but the email has gone unanswered. We will provide an update if and when the manufacturer comments officially.
Skoda is said to be gearing up to launch the new Karoq in India to rival the Jeep Compass and the Hyundai Tucson. But the official date of the launch is yet to be announced. Additionally, Skoda at the Auto Expo showcased the Superb Facelift and the Rapid BS6 with the new 1.0-litre TSI engine. These models would be the BS6 updates that Skoda will offer, but the launch timelines of these two sedans have also not been confirmed. The only BS6 compliant model on offer from Skoda’s current stable is the Kodiaq SUV which his priced at Rs 32.9 lakh (ex-showroom, India).
[source: financiaqlexpress]
