VW to commence production in Pune in 2009

German carmaker Volkswagen said its Rs3,500 crore (US$752.6 million) greenfield car manufacturing plant at Chakan in Pune will be operational by the second half of 2009. ”The Chakan plant which was earlier scheduled to be commissioned in 2010, will be operational in mid-2009,” Volkswagen Head of Communications (India) Kurt Rippholz said. Volkswagen had signed an agreement with the Maharashtra Government for setting up the plant at Chakan near Pune in 2006. The company will initially manufacture Skoda Fabia in the plant and in 2010, it will develop two Volkswagen models in the facility, a sedan and a hatchback in gasoline and diesel versions. (September 4, 2008)