The Truthful Storey Behind The Volkswagen Santana, Lavida, In Addition To Lamando

Europeans dearest hatchbacks similar the Golf, which has spent over 4 decades at the overstep of the sales charts. Yet, inward contrast, the globe marketplace position is nonetheless dominated past times compact sedans. In Volkswagen’s case, they describe of piece of job organisation human relationship for nearly 1 tertiary of global sales amongst 1.6 1000000 sold inward China alone.

Understanding that Asian tastes differ from European ones, Volkswagen says they can’t but to practise a “cut-and-paste” method—selling exactly 1 vehicle to a global audience. Flexing their pattern in addition to technology scientific discipline expertise, they’ve taken the freedom to create cars which are tailor-made to Asian tastes in addition to sensibilities.

Through the articulation corporation amongst SAIC for example, Volkswagen has managed to localize their products for the Chinese market, similar to how Honda or Toyota has done to gain a rigid presence inward Southeast Asia. At a glance, hither are the 3 products that helped them grow inward the world’s largest unmarried market:

Volkswagen Santana

This successful Chinese model also has zero inward mutual amongst the angular master copy Santana, which was based on the second-generation Passat—a familiar sight inward 1980s Germany. While it hasn’t been available inward Deutschland since 1985, its production continued inward China. Since 2013, it’s moved to a completely independent pattern developed specifically for the Chinese market. Powered past times a 90-horsepower 1.4-liter MPI engine amongst the 5-speed manual or a 110-horsepower 1.5-liter BlueMotion amongst the 6-speed automatic, approximately 245,000 units were sold inward China final twelvemonth alone.

Volkswagen Lavida

Another model that’s available only inward China, it has been specially developed to cater for the preferences in addition to requirements of customers inward the Asian market. It packs a turbocharged 1.4-liter 4-cylinder engine amongst 130 horsepower married to a 6-speed dual clutch automatic for the Philippine market. It may non last a identify cite locally, but it’s the most successful nameplate of all manufacturers inward China, selling 491,000 examples inward 2019 alone; putting that into perspective, that’s roughly 2 pct of the entire Chinese automotive market.

Volkswagen Lamando

Produced past times SAIC-Volkswagen equally a “four-door coupe,” the Lamando rides on the automaker’s latest MQB platform. Designed to hold off planted in addition to “flat,” it comes amongst a 150-horsepower 1.4-liter TSI engine mated to a Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) inward the Philippines. Because it shares its platform amongst the Golf GTI, a sportier GTS version is available inward China, packing the same 220-horsepower 2.0-liter TSI engine. More than 101,000 units of the Lamando were delivered inward 2019.

The Volkswagen Group produces vehicles for the Chinese marketplace position together amongst 2 articulation ventures inward China—one amongst SAIC, in addition to the other amongst FAW. Together amongst their youth-oriented Jetta brand, they delivered 3.16 1000000 vehicles inward full final twelvemonth making them the best-selling construct inward the most competitive machine marketplace position inward the world.

It’s slow to complain that the Santana, Lavida, in addition to Lamando nameplates aren’t the Polo, Jetta, in addition to Passat that Europeans get, but the same could last said amongst the Brio, City, Yaris, in addition to Vios—they likewise were designed primarily amongst the Asian marketplace position inward mind. On the flipside, it’s also the argue why Ford’s “One Ford” strategy didn’t pan out, peculiarly inward China.

Volkswagen understands that tastes vary from marketplace position to market, part to region, in addition to carmakers must allow approximately wiggle room for local customization. By blending European in addition to Asian sensibilities, they deport a sure enough grade of design, engineering, in addition to quality. Yet, the vehicles are also real unique for the Asian market—designed in addition to engineered amongst this setting inward mind.