New Delhi, Feb 4 (IANS): European car manufacturer Volkswagen on Monday hosted the global premiere of its compact SUV Taigun, signalling the start of its SUV offensive in India to gain market share.

The new compact SUV is the first product produced under the 'India 2.0' project.

The new carline is developed on the indigenised version (MQB A0 IN) of Volkswagen Group's MQB (modular transverse matrix) platform.

Jurgen Stackmann, Member of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen brand responsible for sales, marketing and after-sales, said: "Today, we present the next big step for Volkswagen in India. The compact SUV is especially designed for this market keeping in mind the needs of the aspirational Indian customer."

"We're confident that this product offers a perfect combination of sportiness and sophistication, making it the right choice for our valued Indian customers."

Stackmann added that India continues to remain an important market for Volkswagen.

"As a Group, we're investing 1 billion euros in the Indian market, which reiterates our commitment to this region. World over, SUVs are gaining popularity among our customers, which is why we are introducing Volkswagen's SUV offensive in India, this year."

The premiere of Volkswagen's compact SUV also commences the brand's SUV offensive strategy in India.

It is expanding its India SUV portfolio and the market will experience Volkswagen's SUV portfolio beginning H1 2020.

Commenting at the World Premiere of the compact SUV, Steffen Knapp, Director, Volkswagen Passenger Cars India said: "We are quite confident that the compact SUV will be a top contender for a prospective customer. With this world premiere, we're optimistic about tactfully driving our India strategy and realising our vision to become a sustainable brand with a 3 per cent market share."

In India, Volkswagen currently offers the Polo, Ameo, Vento and Tiguan.