Volkswagen Philippines expanded its vehicle line-up to appeal to the broader mass market, as it brought in new models under the Asean-China Free Trade Agreement.
“We’re revamping the line-up because we want to make sure that we serve a wider market of the segment. We know that with our segment, the price point is within this limit and we couldn’t do that in this segment because of the excise tax,” said Volkswagen Philippines president Arthur Tan.
The company launched three of its five new models Friday, including the Santana, Lavida and the sub-compact SUV Tiguan.
These models will be imported from China with a 5-percent tariff under the bilateral agreement.
“This is the reason why we are able to bring in cars at this price, without giving up any of the features or technology or quality,” said Tan.
The three models were made available on May 19, while Santana GTS and Lamando would be offered in November.
Shanghai Volkswagen first vice president David Powels said the brand continued to be strong worldwide and was the top choice among car buyers in many markets.