Volkswagen India is enticing enthusiasts by adding a manual gearbox to the Virtus 1.5

Volkswagen India is in a triumphant moment with the current INDIA 2.0 project and to make things spicier, the Indian division of the German carmaker has announced more alluring variants of the Virtus and the Taigun. However, the top-of-the-line Virtus GT Plus can be ordered with a manual gearbox. Considering the performance offered with the 1.5 TSI, the lack of a manual gearbox made the experience a little lacklustre. But that has been corrected by VW India. The new Virtus variant is called GT Plus MT. In addition, two new variants have been added to the Taigun family: GT Plus MT and GT DSG. 

Apart from the mechanical changes brought to the Virtus, both the Virtus and Taigun will be available in a new shade: Lava Blue. In addition, VW India has also added an exclusive ‘Deep Black Pearl’ finish for the extremely limited ‘GT Limited Collection’ for the Virtus GT Plus DSG and GT Plus manual. On the contrary, the Taigun GT Plus DSG and GT Plus manual with the limited edition tag will be available with both the Deep Black Pearl and a new ‘Carbon Steel Matt’ finish. The automaker has announced that all of these new variants along with the ‘GT Limited Collection’ will hit the market in June 2023. 

All the features from the previous Virtus and Taigun GT models will be carried over to the new variants, such as red-accented brake callipers, an electric sunroof, a dual-tone exterior finish, 16-inch alloys, a 10-inch touchscreen unit, and an 8-inch MID. The 1.5-litre turbocharged four-pot under the hood of the GT variants produces the same 147 horses and 250Nm of torque, just like it did earlier. However, the addition of a six-speed manual gearbox could make the drives more engaging, especially for enthusiasts. 

From the competitor’s POV, the Virtus, even with the added manual gearbox, does not make it the best sedan in its class. The advent of the new Hyundai Verna simply takes things to another level. It has more power, and most importantly, it offers Level 2 driving automation or ADAS, at a similar price point as the Virtus. However, there is more than what meets the eye, and to find more about the new manual-equipped Virtus, you will have to wait for our full drive review which is coming soon.