MANILA, Philippines – Istill remember my first Volkswagen Passat sighting. I was a freshman in high school and I was chatting with a classmate as we waited for our rides (which was a Volkswagen Kombi for me). His ride arrived before mine and it was a silver four-door sedan with a hatchback-like fastback roofline and rear windshield instead of the more common upright rear backlight.
The year was 1980 and the car that picked him up was the then-new Volkswagen Passat. Volkswagens were as common as Toyota Vioses then. My neighbor had a VW Brasilia and my grade school carpool-mate had a Beetle.
That first-generation Passat, which shared its platform with the Audi 80 of the time, was launched in the Philippines by its then distributor, DMG in E.Rodriguez Sr. Blvd. in Quezon City, in 1979. I still remember because I had a subscription to Auto International, a local car magazine back then which featured the Passat.
That four-door Passat was supplanted by the two-door Passat Surf TS in 1982. The two-door Surf sported a facelifted front-end with an upright grille and large rectangular headlights. I was crazy about that car, which in my imagination I would install fender flares and pretend it was the first-generation Audi quattro (which resembled the two-door Passat in profile).
Then came the dark years of the Philippine automotive industry, when pretty much all the players save for a handful sold a pitiful few cars through the 80’s. Of course, all the car companies continued developing and selling new models abroad year after year. The Passat would remain one of Wolfsburg’s stalwart models and has since sold more than 22 million units in its 42-year (and counting) run.
And now, on its eighth generation, the time is ripe for the 2015 Passat—like its contemporaries, much bigger and much more luxurious—to once again roll onto Philippine shores.
Coupled with decades of renowned Volkswagen engineering and design heritage is the Passat’s recent achievement of it being crowned the 2015 European Car of the Year.
With such a formidable portfolio that comes with the Passat (which shares its platform with no less than corporate stablemate, the Audi A6), it should be no wonder that Volkswagen Philippines is confident that this luxury midsize sedan will dominate its segment in the Philippine market, and as such bolster Volkswagen’s stature as the top-of-mind premium brand.
“The introduction of the award-winning Passat will become the biggest product launch of the year for Volkswagen Philippines. With its formal unveiling on October 21, the Passat will be offered at a price range between P2.25 million and P2.75 million,” said John Philip Orbeta, Volkswagen Philippines’ president and CEO, during the Passat press preview night at Volkswagen BGC on September 4.
Targeted for executives and businessmen who prefer high-value German engineering and design, the Passat, has been earning favorable international reviews for its passenger and cargo space, refined and quiet ride, powerful engine, and top safety scores.
The Passat offers impressive performance with German-tuned driving dynamics and a responsive and efficient 2.0 TSI engine generating 220ps, managed by the 6-speed dual-clutch Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG) transmission.
The Passat goes straight from Germany to Volkswagen showrooms in the Philippines complete with design and technological touches that would make it a an ideal executive car. These include LED headlights, 18” alloy wheels, Adaptive Chassis Control, 12-way electric front seats, a navigation system, rear view camera, Active Info Display gauges, and a panoramic sunroof.
The Passat will be introduced in the Philippine market in two variants: The “Business Edition” and “Highline” lines. Both variants feature technological, infotainment and safety innovations such as the 3-zone Climatronic Air Conditioning, Park Distance Control, XDS Differential Lock, “Keyless-Go” Entry (KESSY), 8-speaker Audio System, and iPod, USB, Bluetooth Connectivity.
The available exterior/interior color combinations of the Passat are Crimson Red/St. Tropez, Oryx White or Iridium Grey Metallic/Titanium Black, and Deep Black Pearl or Black Oak Brown/Natural Brown.
For those taking a look at the 2015 Passat, the new car is certainly not your father’s (or grandfather’s) Passat. It has evolved with the times and is infinitely more advanced, more luxurious, better performing, and a lot safer. And the world’s all the better for it.
For more information on the Passat and other Volkswagen models, visit www.volkswagen.com.ph, like the Volkswagen Philippines Facebook page, or visit one of the dealerships/satellite offices located at Bonifacio Global City in Taguig; Quezon Avenue in Quezon City; Greenfield District Service Center at Sheridan Street in Mandaluyong City; Molito Lifestyle Building in Alabang, Muntinlupa; and North Reclamation Area in Cebu City.