Volkswagen’s best is yet to come

FROM right, JP Orbeta, president and CEO of Volkswagen Philippines, chief operating adviser Klaus Schadewald, and marketing director Franz Decloedt flash the thumbs up sign for the Jetta.

At its media appreciation night last Friday, Volkswagen Philippines highlighted its accomplishments in 2015 and promised a “more exciting” 2016 via product upgrades plus the immediate availability of the new Jetta sedan.

Top VW Philippines officials led by president and CEO John Philip Orbeta, chief operating adviser Klaus Schadewald, and marketing director Franz Decloedt thanked the journalists for helping make 2015 “a banner year for Volkswagen Philippines.”

In his welcome remarks, Orbeta said that the media helped make 2015 a record-breaking year for the Philippine automotive industry. “Of course, the Volkswagen brand has ridden on this unprecedented industry wave, and I express my deepest appreciation to all of you for helping us achieve extensive market awareness for our entire product lineup,” he added.

While Orbeta did not give any numbers, he claimed that the company “achieved not only strong sales figures, but also captured a significant share of industry awards and positive media exposure.”

Reaping awards

Reviewing VW Philippines’s performance the past year, Decloedt said the brand “reaped award after award, and enjoyed healthy sales figures throughout the year… in its entire product lineup.” He mentioned the Polo sedan and hatchback as “the most sought-after” VW cars, with the Tiguan and Beetle also performing “big.”

Foremost of the milestones that VW Philippines achieved in 2015 were 12 awards won by VW models. The Golf GTI, in particular, was among the most-awarded vehicles in 2015 as it was adjudged Best Sports Hatch by the Car Awards Group Inc. and Best Premium Compact at the 11th annual C! Magazine awards.

THE VOLKSWAGEN management team wearing a different hat for the media thanksgiving party.

VW Philippines scored a media coup in January 2015 when Pope Francis visited the Philippines and rode a VW Touran during his stay in Manila.

VW Philippines further enhanced the brand’s road safety advocacy when it launched its Child Safety Initiative campaign during the 2015 Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) in April. The campaign gained momentum and impact when it was rolled out in shopping malls, schools and VW dealerships—so much so that Top Gear Philippines awarded it as Best Practice in Road Safety.

‘Dieselgate’

During the media appreciation night, VW Philippines officials made no direct mention of the “dieselgate” crisis that engulfed the parent company in Wolfsburg, Germany, when Volkswagen admitted in September 2015 to installing “defeat devices” in more than 11 million diesel vehicles sold worldwide so that their engines ran cleaner when being tested for pollution.

When road-tested by United States regulators, the VW diesel cars were found to spew as much as 40 percent more pollutants than the legal emissions limit of the US Clean Air Act.

The scheme, exposed by regulators in the United States, spawned investigations and lawsuits around the world—not to mention broken trust with VW car owners, frayed relations with dealers and increasingly fractious dealings with regulators.

But not here, where VW Philippines immediately issued a statement that none of the diesel vehicles it sells has the cheating device and that all the vehicles it sells comply with the Philippines’ Euro 4 emissions standard, which was phased out in North America and Europe back in 2009.

While Volkswagen sales worldwide were reported to have plunged by 11 percent in 2015, the first sales decline in the brand’s history, Orbeta told this writer that the diesel scandal has not affected VW sales in the Philippines.

Recovered

Orbeta admitted that there were some questions and sales slowed down for a while, but now, he claimed, sales had recovered.

Orbeta may have indirectly referred to the “dieselgate” issue when he said in his welcome remarks, “I also want to express my gratitude for helping Volkswagen hurdle the challenges along the way through your balanced, objective and fair reports of the various automotive issues.”

Even then, VW Philippines may be seen to be assuming unto itself the reputation for integrity of its parent company, the giant Ayala Corp. conglomerate, when Orbeta asserted: “Volkwagen Philippines enters 2016 a much stronger corporate entity due to the confluence of several things: an enduring and trusted brand, a pedigree of professionalism, integrity and customer service and strong support from our parent Ayala Corp.”

Upgrades

Meanwhile, before they donned toques and aprons to serve German cuisine to their guests at the buffet table, the VW Philippines execs announced the initial lineup of product upgrades and new model introductions that they said would make 2016 a more competitive and more exciting year for Volkswagen.

THE TIGUAN

The new Jetta sedan is now available in diesel and petrol automatic variants loaded with upgraded drive and safety features.

The new Polo sedan has also been revamped front and rear, while a more luxuriously equipped Business Edition of the compact diesel SUV Tiguan will be introduced this year.

But these are just for starters and the best is yet to come, according to VW Philippines. Schadewald announced that this year, VW Philippines would introduce the Golf Comfortline and Highline variants, and the sporty R-line of the Passat and Touareg, as well as the return of the Beetle Dune.