After last week’s game changing debut of Volkswagen models sourced from China (and priced for Asia) for the very first time, the Volks folks are now ready to have their new Santana and Lavida sedans, and their new Tiguan Mk.I crossover SUV, scrutinized and scrutineered by the motoring public. Tomorrow and on Sunday, get up close and personal with the Volkswagen newsmakers they’ll be exhibiting at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati and at the Eastwood Mall Atrium in Quezon City.

Press Statement by Volkswagen Philippines, “Newly launched Volkswagen models go on weekend mall tour on May 26-27,” 2018:

Volkswagen Philippines, which just launched its five groundbreaking models: the Santana MPI M/T Trendline, 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 last May 18 at the Shangri-La at the Fort, now takes its newest vehicles closer to the public via a mall tour this weekend of May 26 and 27.

From 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., mallgoers at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City will get to see up close the Santana MPI M/T Trendline, the Lavida 230 TSI DSG Comfortline, and the Tiguan 280 TSI DSG Comfortline. Shoppers at the Eastwood Mall Atrium in Libis, Quezon City will also see these three new vehicles on display from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (May 26) and from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (May 27). And from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Cebuanos will also get to see these three new models at The Gallery of Ayala Center Cebu.

Volkswagen Lifestyle items will be given to customers who will make inquiries, or book a test drive.

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 5,500rpm and maximum torque of 132 Nm at 3,800rpm. 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 wireless doorlock with immobilizer. Available exterior colors are Polar White, Reflex Silver, Pepper Grey and Deep Black with an SRP starting at P686,000.

The Lavida, which is still one of the best selling sedan Volkswagen model, 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). Available exterior colors are Polar White, Reflex Silver, Deep Black, Limestone Grey, Sunset Red, and Opalsilver Metallic with an SRP starting at P1,171,000.

The Tiguan, which has comfortably maintained its position as segment leader, 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. Available exterior colors are Polar White, Titanium Beige, Hunting Brown, and Deep Black with an SRP starting at P1,648,000.

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. This is more convenient and more cost-efficient compared to the industry-standard 5,000-km PMS interval.

Beyond the vehicles value-for-money specifications, features, and the warranties and PMS intervals, the five new models unveiled open new chapters to the continuously evolving relationship between Filipinos and Volkswagen, making the world-class auto brand much more accessible than ever to the Filipino car-buying public.

Automotive excellence and heritage unique to Volkswagen are now within reach of the hardworking, daring Filipino. And when these cars eventually bring you to the verge of your own personal breakthrough, thats when you know that with Volkswagen, Your Drive Just Got Better.

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 at 938 28th Street City Center, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City; Volkswagen Quezon Avenue at 1229 Quezon Avenue, Quezon City; Volkswagen Alabang at Caltex along Alabang-Zapote Road, Madrigal Business Park, Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa City; Volkswagen Greenfield District Service Center at 833 Sheridan Street, Barangay Highway Hills, Mandaluyong City; Volkswagen Pampanga at McArthur Highway, Dolores, City of San Fernando, Pampanga; Volkswagen Cebu at A. Soriano Avenue, North Reclamation Area, Cebu City; Volkswagen Iloilo (upper ground level of SM Iloilo along Benigno Aquino Sr. Avenue), and Volkswagen Bacolod (along Araneta Street, Singcang, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental).

For more information, log on to www.volkswagen.com.ph

If you recall the time when Ayala Corporation’s Fernando Zobel became the elegant and surprisingly hip model for those Swiss-made but cheap Swatch wristwatches, then the sight of him driving Volkswagen’s newly introduced Santana sedan serves as swift reminder of how that German marque’s direct translation asserts them to be the People’s Car champion.

Last Friday, at an elegant evening event auspiciously attended by leaders of global engineering giant Robert Bosch GmbH as well as those of Ayala Corporation’s other automotive brands such as Isuzu and Honda, Volkswagen Philippines launched five new models that, as they put it, “redefine how the world-renowned German marque in the Philippines will develop and expand its local presence.”

Now, five years after Volkswagen AG had appointed Ayala Corporation as sole distributor to the Philippines in May 2013, after half a decade of marketing models that both brandished and seemed burdened with premium, up-market prices, the country is receiving models designed for and manufactured in Asia, and that are finally priced for emerging markets. The Ayala group’s Arthur Tan (president and CEO of their AC Industrials subsidiary) says that now, five years later, these five new models make them “faithful to the original intent of Volkswagen to offer cars that are accessible to the people.”

Introduced last Friday were Shanghai Volkswagen’s Santana, Lavida and Lamando sedans, and the Santana GTS hatchback–all designed initially for the China market and built on globally standardized Volkswagen platforms. The fifth model introduced was the face-lifted first-generation Tiguan which they continue to manufacture in the China market despite the second generation model having already been introduced here as well as other markets globally. First to become available at all Volkswagen dealers starting last weekend were the Santana sub-compact and Lavida compact sedans, and the Tiguan crossover SUV. The Santana’s GTS sub-compact hatchback version and the large Lamando sedan will be on offer come November.

According to Shanghai Volkswagen first vice president David Powels, the Philippines is the first country ever to receive models from their production lines in China. The timing is understandable with the China market’s unparalleled economies of scale finally being complemented with preferential tariff rates this year under the completed implementation of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement.

The ironic new Tiguan’s first generation origin (hidden as it is behind its current-theme facelift) is easily overshadowed by its P1,648,000 price tag that makes it over P600,000 cheaper than the P2,259,000 second-generation Tiguan they had on offer before (and until now, actually, with both models still being featured at the volkswagen.com.ph online showroom). At that price, the new Tiguan which features the same Euro 5 compliant 1.4 liter turbocharged gasoline engine as on the previous, more expensive Tiguan, now squares off firmly against premium compact crossover SUVs such as the Honda HR-V and Mazda CX-3.

On the other hand, the new Lavida compact sedan’s P1,171,000 price pits it squarely against the Altis of global leader Toyota with its P941,000 to P1,451,000 price range. This while the Lavida features a sportier powertrain, its 1.4 liter turbocharged gasoline engine with stratified injection mated to a Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG, their brand of dual clutch transmission) trumping the Altis’ naturally aspirated 1.6 or 2.0 liter engines being mated to less rugged continuous variable transmissions or CVTs.

The new base-model Santana sub-compact sedan is the actual gem, the very point of this new spear that Volkswagen Philippines is bringing to the fight. Built on the Volkswagen Group’s A05+ platform (the same underpinnings as that of the popular Polo), the Santana brandishes a spartan configuration behind trademark Volkswagen and generally European touches. The Santana with a 1.4 liter naturally aspirated gasoline engine mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox is slightly larger than the market-leading Vios while listing at an astounding P686,000 that lances right through the P629,000 to P791,000 price range of the 1.3 liter manual gearbox variants of Toyota’s popular sub-compact sedan.

Volkswagen Philippines’ sudden and extensive competitiveness could have clay feet because of the China connection, but any skepticism about build quality, fair or otherwise, is directly addressed by their unprecedented claim of 10,000km (twice the industry standard) between PMS visits. Ruggedness is presumed and even further guaranteed with the options for a 3-year paint warranty and a 3-year warranty against corrosion of main steel structures, these over and above the standard 3-year or 100,000km general warranty.

What about Volkswagen’s other vulnerability, about their reserved design language that’s kept intact among the China-sourced models? This design that’s criticized as not being young enough by them, the young? At the launch, when Fernando Zobel drove in and unveiled the all-important Santana, he matter-of-factly and wordlessly underscored how critics are missing the point entirely, underscored how it takes an iconic and deeply storied brand like Volkswagen to pull off a design like Volskwagen’s.

It takes a brand like Volkswagen to offer up a design that’s bare of frivolous flourishes, that doesn’t stoop to pandering pantomimes of jet-fueled or fire-breathing things, and turns this simplicity into ageless elegance. Remember? It was the Volkswagen Beetle in the 1960s that bucked the trend and pulled the rug out from under those huge land-yachts with their ironic tail fins and gas-guzzling V8s.