Volkswagen India recently launched its super-premium small car model Beetle in India. The company plans to sell 300 units of this bug-shaped model in India next year. The model comes with 2.0L petrol variant with 6-speed automatic transmission and comes with a price tag of Rs. 20.90 lakh. The car is being imported as a completely built unit from VW’s Mexico plant which attracts 104 percent import duty making it a pricy model.

Volkswagen has already received nearly 170 bookings for the car and is hopeful of good sales in the next year. It is also hopes that the model will help the company in its brand building exercising and popularize the brand. “Going by the initial euphoria, we expect to sell around 300 Beetles in 2010," said Raj Sawant, business head of Automark Motors, Volkswagen dealer in Ahmedabad. "We are now getting shipments of 40 cars in a batch. One batch has already landed while the second one is expected soon," he added.

Volkswagen is actively working on its marketing and advertising campaign to build its brand image. It was also reported earlier that VW has tied up with an aircraft leasing company to carry a 10,000 sq ft. banner to travel through the skies of Mumbai on Christmas Eve.