Skoda India plans big push with 4 new models, expands dealer, service network

Czech car maker Skoda will launch four new models in India by 2017 and improve dealership and after sales services in the country a bid to significantly improve its fortunes in the Indian market.

Skoda said it will be launching the new flagship fullsize SUV Kodiaq and the new RS variant of the Octavia. ''In addition to these we will also get two cars from the range Skoda calls 'Action Models' - namely the Octavia Black Edition and the Rapid Monte Carlo Edition,'' the company stated in a release.

Skoda Auto India Pvt. Ltd, a Volkswagen group company, said it will focus on new products to push sales and will invest Rs100 crore to improve after sales service, acknowledging that it is committed to the Indian market.

The company plans to launch a new brand campaign on 1 September while also boosting its sales and its entire sales and service network in the country.

Skoda says it has already invested 60 per cent of the Rs100 crore planned investment in dealership and after sales network.

Also, Skoda says its cars will be greener and safer by 2020. Skoda said it has already made dual airbags standard across all variants of all models and, by the end of this year, will also make ABS standard.

On the service side, all Skoda cars will now have a standard 4-year/100,000 warranty across all models. Roadside assistance will also now be available for 4 years at no extra cost.

Skoda Service Care will be the next big pillar the new strategy stands on. This includes what Skoda is calling Menu Pricing. This means repair charges will be uniform across the country and customers will be able to select the service they want from a basket of services on offer.

All service and repairs will be backed by an itemized service invoice. Skoda says cars will be delivered post servicing on the same day that it comes in for regular maintenance/service and says if it cannot do so it will pick up the tab on the service.