Volkswagen Philippines unveiled on May 18 five new models which it hopes will redefine its local presence.
Ayala Corporation president and CEO Fernando Zobel de Ayala led the unveiling ceremony by driving one of the highlight vehicles onto the stage—the Santana MPI M/T Trendline. Other models introduced were the Lavida 230 TSI DSG Comfortline, the Tiguan 280 TSI DSG Comfortline, the Santana GTS MPI A/T Comfortline, and the Lamando 280TSI DSG Highline.
Three of the five new models— the Santana, the Lavida, and the Tiguan —are immediately available, while the Santana GTS and the Lamando will be offered in November.
In his welcome remarks, Shanghai Volkswagen 1st vice president David Powels noted that Volkswagen continues to be a strong brand worldwide, and is offering these five new models as being “tailor made” for Asian customers. In fact, these five models have had notable successes in China, the world’s biggest and most competitive automotive market.
The Santana, which was among the 10 best-selling models in China in 2017, is powered by a 1.4-liter Multi-Point Injection (MPI) 4-cylinder gasoline engine mated to a 5-speed manual transmission, with maximum power output of 90 Ps at 5,500 rpm and maximum torque of 132 Nm at 3,800 rpm. For ride comfort and stability, the Santana features electronic power steering, front McPherson independent suspension, and rear composite torsion beam semi-independent suspension. Safety highlights include ISOFIX anchorage points (mounting fixture for two child seats on rear seat bench), anti-lock braking system (ABS), and immobilizer. Available exterior colors are polar white, reflex silver, pepper grey, and deep black with an SRP starting at PHP 686,000.
The Lavida, which is the best selling sedan and second best-selling model for the entire Chinese car market, is equipped with a 1.4-liter Turbocharged Stratified Injection (TSI) 4-cylinder gasoline engine with BlueMotion Technology mated to a 7-speed direct shift gearbox (DSG) transmission, capable of 130 Ps of power at 5,000 rpm and 225 Nm of torque at 1,400 to 3,500 rpm. The interior features and comfort amenities include leather seat material, cruise control, Climatronic air conditioning, and sunroof. Safety highlights include the electronic stabilisation program (ESP) with brake assistant, ABS,electronic differential lock and anti slip regulation (ASR), hill hold control, push start, and front and rear park distance control (PDC). SRP starts at PHP 1,171,000.
The Tiguan, which has comfortably maintained its position as segment leader in China with 330,000 units sold, has a 1.4-liter TSI 4-cylinder gasoline engine with BlueMotion Technology mated to a 6-speed DSG transmission. Maximum power output is 150 Ps at 5,000 rpm, while maximum torque is at 250 Nm at 1,750 to 3,000 rpm. Its interior features and comfort amenities include “Vienna” leather seat material, 2-zone climatronic airconditioning, panoramic sunroof, 8 speakers, and driver power 12-way seat adjustment. Safety systems include ISOFIX anchorage points, ESP, ABS, brake assistant, ASR, EDS, EDTC, hill hold control, and rear PDC with acoustic warning signal. Starting price is PHP 1,648,000.
The Santana GTS is powered by 1.5-liter 4-cylinder in-line MPI gasoline engine mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission while the Lamando is equipped with a 1.4-liter TSI 4-cylinder gasoline engine with BlueMotion Technology mated to a 7-speed DSG transmission.
The warranty coverage for all these five new models are comprehensive. Aside from the 3 years or 100,000-km general warranty, whichever comes first, Volkswagen Philippines also offers a 3-year warranty for paint and another 3-year warranty for through-corrosion of the main steel body structure. The periodic maintenance service (PMS) interval schedule for these new models is also structured for its owners’ convenience. The PMS interval is once a year, or every 10,000 kms, whichever comes first.
The Santana MPI M/T Trendline, Lavida 230 TSI DSG Comfortline, and Tiguan 280 TSI DSG Comfortline are available at all eight Volkswagen Philippines dealerships: Volkswagen BGC, Volkswagen Quezon Avenue, Volkswagen Alabang, Volkswagen Greenfield District, Volkswagen Pampanga, Volkswagen Cebu, Volkswagen Iloilo, and Volkswagen Bacolod.