Volkswagen Philippines goes Filipiniana at the 7th Philippine International Motor Show

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October 26, 2018

Since Wednesday of this week, car enthusiasts and the general motoring public converged at the World Trade Center for the staging of the 7th Philippine International Motor Show (PIMS). The five-day event, as everyone knows, is a showcase of the finest products from the growing local automotive industry.

One of the exhibitors at the show is German brand Volkswagen Philippines. Here, the VW brand took the opportunity to show off its latest models, particularly the newly-launched Santana MPI MT Trendline, Lavida 230 TSI DSG Comfortline, Tiguan 280 TSI DSG Comfortline, and Crafter 35L TDI MT. The dressed up units showed Filipinos how they can spruce up their ride to suit their tastes.

Apart from these, hwoever, Volkswagen Philippines also took the wraps off its upcoming Santana 1.5 MPI AT Trendline and Comfortline, the Santana GTS 1.5 MPI AT Comfortline, and the Lamando 280 TSI DSG AT Comfortline and Highline. Taking its cue from the MT Santana variant, the AT packs more power from a larger 1.5-liter MPI motor with 110hp and 150Nm. Also powering the Santana GTS, this mill is mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox.

Being a bit more premium, these offerings come in at P898,000 for the Trendline and P962,000 for the Comfortline with a host of features such as side and curtain airbags, Park Distance Control, and Electronic Stabilization Program, just to name a few. The GTS even differs a bit as it is the only station wagon in its class at P998,000.  Those that want something more premium can go for the Lamando with its 1.4-liter turbocharged motor with 150hp and 250Nm, paired with a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox. It boasts goodies like Keyless Go, panoramic moonroof, dual-zone Climatronic airconditioning system, leather seats, as well as adaptive cruise control, Electronic Stabilization Program, and a host of airbags, just to name a few. All these for P1,569,000 for the Comfortline and P1,703,000 for the Highline.

And just like the other nameplates in the VW lineup, the Santana AT, GTS, and Lamando come with a 3-year, 100,000kms warranty and service interval of 10,000kms. It’s VW’s way of helping motorsts have total peace of mind.

And this is exactly what VW Philippines did at the 7th PIMS—it tried to make the Filipino car buyer feel right at home. With a Filipiniana theme that included nipa huts and delicacies like taho, the German cars blended right in. It’s Volkswagen’s way of showing that yes, they may be German engineered but they aren’t out of reach of the Filipino car shopper looking for value for money.

Get to see Volkswagen Philippines and the latest rides at the 7th PIMS ths weekend. The show runs until Sunday, October 28, 2018.

About the Author

Mr. Gerard Jude Castillo
Gerard has been a self-confessed car nut ever since he was a little boy. As a grown-up, he indulges in his passion by collecting toy cars (which he started since childhood) and reading up on the latest cars out there.  As Associate Editor, he will ensure that you get your fill of the latest cars in the market, as well as a load of automotive features.