Next-gen Volkswagen Vento (Virtus) Spied

The first units of the new Volkswagen Virtus sedan are set to roll out from the company's plant in Brazil and spy shots of the same have been leaked online. For those who don't know, the Virtus is a sedan based on the new Polo hatchback - essentially what would have been called the Volkswagen Vento if it was on sale in India.

The new Volkswagen Virtus/Vento is based on the all-new Polo hatchback which was unveiled for international markets back in June. The Virtus/Vento gets the same modular MQB A0 platform that underpins many of the new generation VW-Group cars, including of course the new Polo.

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Photos from the factory floor show that the new Volkswagen Vento/Virtus borrows most of its design from the new Polo, as is the case with the Vento sold in India. The front fascia is similar to the hatchback but features a different bumper design. The design looks similar till the front door, after which there may have been structural changes to make the Virtus more spacious. The rear end is especially good-looking, with a notchback-like design.  The tail-lamp design is reminiscent of the Audi A4.

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Inside, the Virtus/Vento features a similar dashboard design as the all-new Polo. This includes the virtual cockpit instrument cluster, large touchscreen infotainment system placed high up and a flat-bottom steering wheel. There are no images showing the space inside the new Virtus, but expect it to be more spacious than the Polo.

In Brazil, the Vento/Virtus may be offered with two motors which can run on petrol/ethanol: a 1.6-litre, MSI unit developing 120PS of maximum power and a 1.0-litre TSI unit developing 128PS of maximum power. 

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It is not clear if or when Volkswagen India will offer the new Vento/Virtus in India. Volkswagen is currently evaluating its options in developing a low-cost car/SUV for India. The current Polo/Vento/Ameo range is based on an older platform which has been phased out around the world, and with most markets worldwide adopting the new MQB platform it would be very expensive for Volkswagen India to keep developing cars based on an older platform. Adopting the new MQB platform for India may be expensive in the short term, but could make future products more competitive. Products like the upcoming Volkswagen T-Roc and Tiguan could be better priced if assembled in India. 

Volkswagen's collaboration with Tata Motors in India to develop a low-cost platform for future products seems to be in jeopardy too.

Spy photos courtesy Noticias Automotivas