In a surprising move, Volkswagen has silently revised the variant lineup of the Virtus and Taigun, discontinuing the 1.5-litre TSI petrol-manual powertrain options. Having said that, buyers can no longer opt for these vehicles with the most powerful petrol motor with a manual gearbox. It will now only be available with the DSG, which, in particular, remains the more popular choice among buyers, likely contributing to Volkswagen’s decision to phase out the manual option due to lower demand.
For driving enthusiasts, the move marks the end of one of the few mid-size sedans and compact SUVs offering a powerful turbo-petrol manual combination, making the Virtus and Taigun slightly less appealing from a pure enthusiast standpoint.
For context, VW introduced the 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine with a manual gearbox on the Virtus in 2023, while the Taigun offered the same combination since its launch in 2021. Now, both these offerings only get a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox with their larger displacement engine. However, the smaller 1-litre turbo-petrol mill continues to get the 6-speed manual and 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission. Here’s a look at their specifications: –
| Engine | 1-litre Turbo-petrol Engine | 1.5-litre Turbo-petrol Engine |
| No of Cylinders | 3 | 4 |
| Max Power | 115PS | 150 PS |
| Peak Torque | 178Nm | 250 Nm |
| Transmission | 6-speed manual, 6-speed torque converter automatic | 7-speed dual-clutch transmission |
At present, Volkswagen has not issued an official statement regarding the discontinuation. However, the update aligns with a broader industry trend where higher-powered petrol engines are increasingly paired only with automatic gearboxes, as manufacturers focus on simplifying variant line-ups and meeting evolving customer preferences.
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