We’ve barely marked the halfway point of 2017 and yet, Volkswagen Philippines seems to have a lot to reasons to rejoice. The official Volkswagen distributor in the country, which was recognized as the #1 European car brand for 2016, has been showing strong sales over the first six months of the year.
The Volkswagen brand sold 566 units from January to June of this year. That’s a 133% rise over last year’s first half performance, with 243 VWs rolling out of showrooms. This strong showing can be attributed to the popularity of its model lines, such as the Polo, Golf, Tiguan, Touran, and Touareg.
It is the Volkswagen Jetta, however, that seems to be a favorite among Filipino car buyers. Now on its sixth generation, the VW compact sedan has sold some 14 million units since it was introduced in 1979. Not resting on its laurels, Volkswagen Philippines has just released more feature-laden versions of its erstwhile sedan: the Volkswagen Jetta Business Edition and Jetta Business Edition+.
Both Jetta variants boast bi-xenon headlamps, adaptive front lighting, LED daytime running lights, 17-inch Lancaster alloy wheels, and a sunroof. Inside, occupants are treated to goodies like dual-zone Climatronic climate control system, an 8-speaker Fender sound system, rain-sensing wipers, 6-way power adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support, a 5.8-inch color Touchscreen display, leather upholstery, and Keyless-Go with pushbutton start.
The Jetta is the only compact sedan in its segment to be powered by a 2.0-liter Turbocharged Direct Injection (TDI) diesel mill that generates 150hp at 3,500-4,200rpm and 340Nm at 1,750-3,000 revs.Apart from this, it likewise boasts safety tech such as adaptive cruise control, blind spot alert, and forward collision mitigation.
What’s even cooler is that all these are available at a competitive P1,25 million for the Jetta Business Edition and P1.3 million for the Jetta Business Edition+.
As if this isn’t exciting enough, Volkswagen Philippines wants to bolster its presence by fielding yet another entry, this time aimed at those looking for a sporty yet comfortable and versatile wagon—the Volkswagen Golf GTS. This number takes its cue from the ppular Golf hatchback, which itself is a world favorite with over 30 million unts to show for it over its seven iterations.
The new Golf GTS takes the styling of the sporty Golf and blends it with wagon versatility and coolness. Besides this, it adds a whopping 220L of cargo space (with the rear seats up). This can be expanded to 350L by folding those rear seats.
Just like its Jetta brother, the Golf GTS packs a 2.0-liter TDI diesel motor that puts out 150hp and class-leading 340Nm of torque. This is mated to a 6-speed DSG. This engine-gearbox combo is available for both Golf GTS trim levels: the Golf GTS Business Edition, which goes for P1,35 million, or the Golf GTS Business Edition+ that retails for P1.4 million.
With these two new models in its stable, Volkswagen Philippines is hopeful it can once again top the sales charts in 2017, making it two in a row for the German carmaker.
