Volkswagen Group Malaysia (VGM) together with Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP) have formed a new partnership last week when they sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This partnership will in turn enhance the current education, research, and technology in automotive together with one of Malaysia’s leading technical universities. (more…)
Volkswagen has officially launched its all-new Tiguan for the Malaysian market. The new SUV is longer, wider and sits lower than its predecessor. It has adaptive LED headlights and rear tail lamps which are far more prominent than the standard ones found on the previous vehicle. Fitted as standard is the 18-inch “Kingston” alloy wheels and for convenience sake, a keyless entry system and its tailgate can be operated electronically.
Inside, the new Tiguan offers a leather multi-function steering wheel with paddle shifters, Vienna leather seat upholstery, height adjustable armrests, 12-way driver electric seat and climatronic air-conditioning. Rear passengers of the Tiguan have their own foldable tables which should come in handy especially on long trips. VW have even fitted ambient lighting on the door lining and side steps to to make it easier for occupants to exit the vehicle instead of fumbling about looking for the door handle in the dark.
Unlike before, the instrument cluster of the new Tiguan is a 12.3-inch full colour TFT display that replaces the analog style dials and meters found in its predecessor. Drivers can even change its theme with six different options that have been made available.
Seated in the centre stack is a 8-inch infotainment system that offers the usual multimedia connectivity and navigation system. For a limited time only, VW is offering its App Connect function on the higher spec Tiguan at a price of RM699, which is significantly lower than the standard RM1,099. This function will offer smartphone app accessibility for the infotainment system that is compatible with Android Auto, Apple Carplay and Mirrorlink.
Under the bonnet of the Tiguan is a 1.4-litre TSI turbocharged direct injection engine that is mated to a 6-speed wet clutch direct shift gearbox (DSG). It’s power is rated at 148bhp and offers 250Nm of torque from just 1,500rpm. Not that you would be eager to do this often, but the Tiguan has the ability to sprint to 100km/h from a standstill in just 8.9 seconds. This fuel sipping engine is said to deliver a fuel consumption figure of just 6.7-litres per 100km, which has helped earn it the Energy Efficient Vehicle (EEV) certification.
Like most VWs, the Tiguan is loaded with safety tech including six airbags, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Anti-lock Braking System, (ABS) and Brake Assist (BA), Multi-collision brakes, Intelligent Crash Response System (ICRS), Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) and hill-hold control. For child safety, the vehicle has anti-pinch power windows and ISOFIX anchorage points for child seats.
Buyers have a choice between five different colours which are Pure White, Deep Black, Blue Tungsten Silver and Indium Grey. As of now, there are two variants of the Tiguan that are currently being offered to Malaysian car buyers – the Comfortline which is priced at RM148,990 and the higher spec Highline, priced at RM168,990. Both cars are backed by a 5-year warranty and 5 year roadside assistance service from Volkswagen.
Poor driver safety and etiquette has become a concern among big automakers, so much so that some have launched pilot programmes that aim to educate youngsters on proper driving habits. Today, Volkswagen too have jumped on the bandwagon by launching its inaugural “Polo P” project dedicated to “empowering new licensed drivers with the skills and knowledge” they need.
As the name suggest “Polo P”, the word Polo was chosen because the car of choice for this training programme is in fact a Volkswagen Polo 1.6L hatchback. It is powered by a naturally aspirated 1.6-litre engine which is mated to a 6-speed automatic (Tiptronic) transmission. And the letter P was probably used to emphasise that the programme’s main demographic here are new drivers.
VW says the project will take place at a number of college and university campuses with the first being in Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman or UTAR, in Sg. Long. Participants who take part in this driver safety focused course, will be taught the basics on car maintenance, visual checkpoints, proper sitting and steering positions as well as more serious defensive driving stuff such as the proper methods to execute emergency braking and to complete a slalom course.
If you are interested to go and check it out for yourself, the following is the latest list of venues that have been provided by Volkswagen:
Dates and Venues 25 & 26 March at UTAR Campus, Sungai Long 8 & 9 April at Nilai University, Seremban 8 & 9 July at Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus, Subang Jaya 19 & 20 July at Sunway College, Johor Bahru
To register and get updates on future locations of the Polo P project, visit www.volkswagen.com.my or send a private message on VW’s Facebook page.
If you are one of those car buyers who considers unique number plates as an extension of your car’s personality and to a certain extent even your own, well this news should intrigue you. Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan Malaysia (JPJ) has introduced vehicle registration numbers beginning with “VW” for cars registered in Wilayah Persekutuan. This would be good news for those considering a Volkswagen as their next purchase. Such a number plate would not only stand out and be considered unique, but could prove to be a valuable investment.
Unique number plates are a sought after item these days. Many a car buyer, superstitious or not, pay top dollar for vehicle registration numbers such as these. Even if you aren’t into that type of thing, a VW series number plate for your VW should fit very nicely.
As a mean to allure potential car buyers even further, Volkswagen have announced that they are still conducting their trade-in programme for the Jetta and Passat until the 31st of March 2017. The programme allows you to trade in your VW and purchase a new one at a lower cost than usual. Apart from that, the automaker is also offering a limited early bird discounts until the 31st of April for the all-new Tiguan which will be launched soon. The small and cheerful Polo is also being offered at RM69,888 for a limited time and so are a number of other VW models.
So, if you are in the market for a new VW and reside in KL, you should be in for a real treat because it will be sometime until such a unique sequence of alphabets come along again in the near future.
As a means to promote the power and agility of the new turbocharged Vento, Volkswagen will initially be taking its small yet powerful sedan on a road tour across the three states.
The company believes that the only true way to convince potential buyers of the capabilities of the new Vento, would be for them to try it for themselves.
The tour will provide the general public with the opportunity to be up close and personal with the new car and drive it to its fullest potential. Besides giving the general public a feel for the car, the tour’s objectives include educating potential buyers on car safety and driving skills. This would include proper seating positions for drivers, correct steering wheel placement, emergency braking, defensive driving skills and how to maneuver through slalom courses. Taking it one step further, VW will also allow members of the public to participate in various stunt demo sessions.
The company will also be bringing along a number of other models for the public to see and test drive. So if you are interested in attending the tour, plan your weekends around the following dates of the first three tours:
18 – 19 March
(10.00a.m – 7.00p.m) -Aeon Bukit Tinggi, Klang
The Vento Turbocharged Tour is free of charge and open to the public but only those who have valid driver licenses are allowed to take part in the driving activities. In case you were wondering, the Vento comes with a 1.2-litre TSI turbo engine which is mated to a 7-speed DSG (Dual Clutch) gearbox. Touted as the vehicle with the highest torque in its class, the Vento is said to offer premium power at an affordable price. So, if you are interested to know more about the car, visit the VW Malaysia website or your nearest VW dealership.