Volkswagen rolls out Jetta, Polo

MANILA, Philippines - Automobile Central Enterprise, Inc. (ACEI), official local importer of Volkswagen vehicles, last week added two more badges – the Jetta and the Polo Notch – to its portfolio. The two sedans join the Touran MPV, Touareg and Tiguan SUVs to further whet the appetite of VW lovers and auto enthusiasts.

Members of the motoring media were able to get behind the wheel of the Jetta and Polo at an exclusive event attended by ACEI executives led by its president, John Philip “JP” Orbeta.  “You really need to test drive our units to really appreciate what the Volkswagen has to offer,” Orbeta said before the presentation of the two new vehicles in the VW stable.

Marketing and product planning head Josh Altarejos explained that the Jetta (named after an atmospheric jetstream in the Atlantic), is the top-selling sedan in Germany, number three in Europe, and number five in the US. It moved almost 170,000 units in 2011.

Made and imported from Mexico, the sixth-generation Jetta, continued Altarejos, boasts agile, efficient driving dynamics and a sporty German design with functional, detail-oriented interior. Its unique selling propositions are its sporty, distinctively German appeal, coupled with a “fun-to-drive dynamic with a sporty ride, cornering, and handling.”

Powered by a two-liter, turbo-charged diesel engine, the first Jetta will be mated to a five-speed transmission. Of note, insisted the marketing executive, is that “Even at low rpm we are able to achieve that output (at 2,750 to 4,200 rpm) and torque (at 1,750 to 2,750 rpm),” referring to 110ps and 280Nm. Buyers can choose from four colors – silver, white, beige, and black – and can expect a gas power plant (1.2 TSI) next month for Jetta.

The Polo Notch, on the other hand, comes equipped with another turbo-charged diesel heart – a 1.6-liter mated to a five-speed manual transmission. As with the Jetta, this sedan achieves its power (105ps) and torque (250Nm) figures at low rpm – 4,400 rpm and 1,500 to 2,500 rpm, respectively.

The diesel Jetta is priced at P1.295 million, while its gas variant (to arrive next month) can be had for P1.24 million. The Polo, boasted ACEI, will be the first European car to be priced under a million (P950,000, to be exact). The Polo Notch is made and imported from India.

During the road test, both the Jetta and Polo Notch displayed easy maneuverability and quick, torque-y acceleration. At a slalom portion of the course (arranged in Ayala Land’s Nuvali development in Laguna), both vehicles displayed easy aplomb in turning between orange cones even when taken at speed.

ACEI marketing and division head Arnel Doria promised there will “lots more coming in,” referring to other badges in the VW ambit. “On the whole, we’re still learning about how the market is ready for this brand… and we’re also building our organization and dealership network.” This early though, Doria revealed that the Tiguan is proving to be the brand’s bestseller.

Some observers said that local sales figures are not as high for the famous German carmaker because of its relatively higher sticker price. Orbeta countered: “(The concept of) ‘pricey’ is always half empty, half full. When ranged against “mainstream, we’re pricier… But comparing apples to apples in terms of technology, engineering, features, safety – once you go into that basket, if you compare us to the current European brands, you’re getting good value.

“We admit that we’re higher than mainstream, but we’re really much more affordable when you now start comparing us to what you get in terms of European or German engineering.”

Orbeta maintained that the best way to look at the VW brand and its vehicle as “premium at a volume level.” Its premium accouterments are certainly obvious in both the Jetta and Polo Notch with, for instance, the range of safety standards such as dual airbags, ABS, ISOFIX mounts (for child seats), and others.  The muted interior appointments reflect European styling. ACEI is also confident of its products that these VWs will get an impressive two years warranty without a cap on mileage.

Doria added that a great maintenance schedule of 15,000 kilometers (or one year) further makes VWs a good, value buy.

For more information, visit www.volkswagen.com.ph or e-mail [email protected]. The Volkswagen BGC showroom is located at 28th Street City Center, Bonifacio Global City.