Volkswagen hints at upcoming new model for PH market

Volkswagen might be perceived to be on the relatively premium end of the automotive spectrum in the Philippines, but feedback on its current lineup hasn’t been exactly stellar lately. The automaker plans to turn things around by teasing what looks like a new model for local customers.

Volkswagen Philippines is hinting at a new addition to its lineup

A teaser image on the company's Facebook page shows what looks like a crossover with its daytime running lights and turn signals activated. Not much else is evident, apart from the words ‘Coming Soon’ hovering overhead accompanied by the Volkswagen logo. “New hue for the new you,” reads the accompanying caption by Volkswagen Philippines. 

The resulting comments came with guesses as to which new model the automaker is bringing in. Some have speculated that the vehicle shown is the second-generation Amarok midsize pickup (based on the current Ford Ranger) or the Atlas midsize crossover. Meanwhile, others believe that it will be the Tharu compact crossover making its way to our shores, since the model was rumored to be coming here as early as 2021.         

The Amarok midsize pickup was one of the guesses offered by netizens

A closer look both at the picture and the caption might reveal a crucial detail: the vehicle’s fascia is practically identical with that of the current T-Cross subcompact crossover already offered here from China, and the upcoming model could be nothing more than a new exterior color offering. At present, the T-Cross is available in Polar White, Romance Red, Chinchilla Gray, Tribu, and Syringa Violet.

Volkswagen Philippines recently made headlines for warning the public against buying gray-market versions of its ID.4 and ID.6 electric models, since these have not been homologated for Philippine use and are not eligible for local warranty service. 

The "new" model could be just an added color option for the current PH-spec T-Cross 

However, social media comments have defended customers who opted to consider getting the latest Volkswagen models from other sources, pinning the blame on the company for being slow to update its official product lineup and sourcing products from China instead of Germany. The automaker could be looking to stave off some of that backlash by releasing the teaser image on its social media channels.

In any case, we’ll have to wait for more updates from Volkswagen Philippines in the coming days to see what this surprise is.       

Get a peek at more upcoming releases with Philkotse.com.