Get an insider`s look at Volkswagen Singapore`s line-up

A monthly publication for Volkswagen owners in Singapore
ISSUE THIRTY FOUR JANUARY 2016
SNEAK
PEEK.
Get an insider’s look at Volkswagen Singapore’s line-up for 2016.
INSIDE • 5 signs your car needs a grooming session • WRC 2016 highlights • Upcoming events
News
Contents
When legends meet.
Global news
06
01 | Two Golf GTI anniversary models meet for the first
time at Portugal, and the new Tiguan clinches the
2015 Auto Trophy
Enjoy 10% off
Volkswagen Genuine
wiper blades!
Aftersales
08 | Weird odours or swirl marks? These are just
some signs that your car is in need of a thorough
grooming session
Feature
10 | What should the ideal car smell like? Jörg Göldenitz,
an olfactory expert from the Volkswagen Wolfsburg
factory explains more
ISSUE THIRTY FOUR | JANUARY 2016
Publisher
Interpage Pte Ltd
Enquiries
[email protected]
11 | Find out what challenges await the Volkswagen
Motorsport team in the next thrilling instalment of
the WRC season
www.volksmag.com.sg
New year, new models. Flip
the page to discover great cars
coming your way in 2016.
The first ever anniversary model – the Golf GTI Pirelli
with 112 PS - represented cutting-edge engineering
in 1983 with its 1.8-litre engine. Shortly before
production of the Golf Mk1 GTI ended, it rolled off the
line as a limited edition special series.
VolksMag is a monthly publication by
Volkswagen Group Singapore
Motorsport
02
In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Golf
GTI, two anniversary models, the Golf GTI Pirelli and
the new Golf GTI Clubsport, met at the Portimão race
circuit in Portugal on 4 December.
Likewise, with heaps of power, the 2.0-litre TSI engine
of the Golf GTI Clubsport delivers an impressive 265
PS and 350 Nm of torque. With its special boost
feature, the Golf GTI Clubsport generates 290 PS,
with 380 Nm of torque, for up to 10 seconds. This
enables it to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in just 5.9
seconds, making it the most powerful full-production
GTI of all time! The meet-up in Portimão no doubt
demonstrates how far the Golf GTI has come, and fans
can rest assured that it will continue to set pulses
racing in the future.
Printed on FSC-certified paper
Information and specifications published in
this magazine are subject to change after the
publication deadline
New Tiguan just keeps winning.
The new Tiguan has clinched the 2015 Auto Trophy,
one of the most significant automotive awards in
Germany. Triumphing over 21 rivals, the compact
SUV secured victory in the ‘All-terrain vehicle up to
€30,000’ category of the Autozeitung magazine’s
international readers’ poll.
Strikingly sporty, the new Tiguan has a range of
assistance systems that add to the comfort and
safety of the driver and passengers. It also features
seamless connectivity via App-Connect where
smartphones can be integrated into the infotainment
system, while tablets can be connected through the
Media Control app.
01
Cover story
Coming to Volkswagen
showrooms this year.
CLASS OF 2016.
It’s a new year, with new beginnings, new resolutions, and of course, new cars.
Here’s a selection of Volkswagen models to look out for this year in Singapore.
Golf Variant & Passat Variant
Eyes forward.
Distracted driving is amongst the top causes of car accidents,
which is why it’s of utmost importance to keep drivers’ attention
focused on the road. With the Passat Variant’s Active Info Display,
all navigation, phone and entertainment information is presented
on a 12.3-inch HD display in the instrument cluster, which helps
minimise the duration a driver’s eyes might be off the road.
02
Love the drive, comfort and quality of the Golf
and Passat, but need even more space for cargo
(or perhaps prefer a more unique body style)?
Fret not, for the estate versions of these popular
Volkswagen models are on the way to Singapore.
The Golf Variant and Passat Variant have
maximum boot capacities of 1,620 and 1,780 litres
respectively. Now who says you can’t have a stylish
car that’s also supremely practical?
Fleet-footed in all conditions.
A car that’s ideally suited to ferrying you and your family around in comfort and safety
doesn’t have to be boring to drive. The Golf Variant come as standard with XDS, an
advanced electronic locking differential originally developed for the Golf GTI. It provides
enhanced agility through corners and increase your smiles per hour behind the wheel!
03
Cover story
Now you see me, now you don’t.
The great thing about MPVs is that when required, they can also serve duty as impromptu
cargo vans. With the Sharan, this is easily achieved thanks to the EasyFold system, which
allows the middle and rear rows of seats to disappear into the floor with a single hand
action. No more worries about boot space after a trip to Ikea or Best Denki!
Touran
An all-new Touran MPV, based on the modular transverse matrix (MQB) that’s already
used by the multi-award winning Golf and Passat, is incoming. The seven-seater’s
increased length and width, together with a reduced height, give it a sporty new look,
while the interior is now significantly more spacious and versatile. A new range of
engines gives the Touran class-leading performance and efficiency.
It’s got your back.
The best way to be safe in a car accident is to not have one at all, which is why
the new Touran will be available with Front Assist with City Emergency Braking.
Front Assist uses radar to continually monitor the distance to the car in front;
if a collision is about to happen, the system can alert the driver with visual or
audible warnings, or if insufficient action is taken, can
even activate City Emergency Braking to
automatically slow the car down.
Sharan
Two decades. That’s a significant milestone in anyone’s life, and so too
is it with the Sharan, which has just celebrated 20 years in production.
Coinciding with this achievement is the launch of a new generation model,
with new engines, new infotainment and connectivity systems, and a
refreshed design inside and out. The Sharan looks set to provide happy
family motoring for many more years to come.
Caddy
With an 11 year production run and
more than 1.5 million units sold
worldwide, the previous generation
Caddy helped cement VW Commercial
Vehicles as the leading European brand
in this segment. For 2016, the Caddy
enters its fourth generation, with
sharp new styling, an advanced interior
layout and refinements made in every
area to continue that success.
04
Small sips, not big gulps.
In running a business, cost control is key to maintaining good profits. In that
respect, the Caddy has got your back with its range of advanced TDI diesel
engines that are extremely efficient, both in terms of fuel consumption and
maintenance costs. The industry-leading warranty and service packages offered
by Volkswagen Singapore help you out even further.
05
Congratulations.
Local news
Happenings.
Nat Wu serenading the crowd.
Mr Adrian Charles Simon collecting the prize, a Volkswagen
USB key thumbdrive, on behalf of his wife, Cindy.
Mandopop magic.
Deck the halls.
Over 100 Volkswagen owners attended the
Mandopop Music Night on 18 December. In support
of local musicians, Volkswagen collaborated with
Millet Music, a music school in Singapore, to hold this
engaging workshop at the Alexandra showroom.
As a perfect close to the festive season,
Volkswagen has prepared a special
performance just for you. Check out the
cool Volkswagen merchandise featured in
the video too!
Much to the audience’s delight, instructors Nat Wu
and Ashton Koh serenaded them with some classic
Mandopop hits by the ‘4 Heavenly Kings’. Guests were
also taught how to distinguish between different
chords and learnt the most common ones used in
popular Mandarin songs.
Nat and Ashton also demonstrated the interactions
between voices and instruments in the band, chord
progressions and simple rhythmic styles.
The audience was thrilled by the performances, with
many sharing that Mandopop brought them fond
memories. Melissa Goh, a Golf owner, had this to
say: “This type of music reminds me of my teenage
years when I used to follow Mandopop singers. I
think Volkswagen should continue with events such
as these. I’d really like to attend a classical music
workshop, or one with songs from famous movies.”
The audience enjoying performances by
the Millet Music instructors.
Want to join in the fun? Send your
particulars to [email protected] to
find out about future events. Don’t forget
to follow VolkswagenSG on Facebook and
Instagram too.
06
Our warmest congratulations to all the winners of the
Volkswagen Christmas Giveaway. Here are a couple of our lucky
winners. Follow us on social media for more great contests!
Scan the QR code above
or visit vw.com.sg/festive
to watch the video. Don’t
forget to spread some
holiday joy by sharing it
with your loved ones.
Asher enjoying his new Junior Quad,
courtesy of his lucky dad Darren Lim.
Upcoming events.
Fishin’ good times.
Ever wondered what the best way
to store frozen or fresh seafood
is? Or how to best prepare
delicious seafood dishes?
It’s time to join Volkswagen
and Hai Sia Seafood for a
special Jurong Fishery Port visit
on 9 January. Enjoy a unique
opportunity to get a behind-thescenes look at the seafood trade
in this exclusive tour, and find out
how fresh and frozen seafood is
prepared. You’ll also gain useful
insights, such as learning how
seafood is procured and packaged
for consumption.
Don’t miss your chance to get
answers to everything you’ve
always wondered about seafood!
Plus, participants will also receive
a goodie bag with seafood
products too!
Only limited slots available, so sign up
at vw.com.sg/seafood today!
07
Aftersales
5 signs it’s
time you
pamper
your car.
up of
3 Build
dust in
hard-to-reach
places.
There is nothing worse
than trying to get rid of dirt
and stains in those nooks
and crannies. If you know
this problem way too well,
it is probably time to let
professionals with the right
equipment ease your worries.
is chipped
1 Paint
or damaged.
Over time, the car’s exterior is
exposed to a lot of dust and
grime. Contaminants such as bird
droppings, tree sap and industrial
pollutants can cause lasting
damage to the paintwork. These
contaminants are tricky to remove
and may cause further damage to
your vehicle if not cleaned properly.
As such, it’s best to get help from
the experts at Volkswagen!
Bad smells coming from inside
the car? It could be food
remnants that have slipped
unnoticed onto your floor mats,
into the creases of the seats or
in other areas of your car. This
can be easily taken care of with
a thorough vacuuming of the
interior, or by applying leather
cleansing lotion plus leather
moisturising cream to leather
seats. Bad smells could also
indicate that it’s time you get
your cabin air filter changed too.
marks or
5 Swirl
scratches on
the outside.
Swirl marks and scratches due to
washing – or just the rigours of urban
life – are unavoidable. However, if
they are not dealt with soon enough,
it will take a longer time and much
more effort to return a car to its
original shine. A good polish will
remove swirl marks while proper
waxing can help protect the exterior
against minor scratches.
REJUVENATE!
Treat your car to
professional grooming session.
Check out the Volkswagen Pristine
and Total Pristine packages. Our
trained specialists will ensure that
your car will look as good as new for
the new year!
For more information, visit
vw.com.sg/car-grooming
today!
dust
2 Stubborn
and dirt on the
wheels.
Never let dust and dirt remain on
your wheels for too long. If not
cleaned off regularly, corrosive
deposits can cause damage
to the surface finish of alloy
wheels. Tyre sidewalls should be
kept clean to minimise rubber
deterioration. You will also be
able to spot any imperfections or
cracks on the tyres much more
easily if they are clean.
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08
smells
4 It
weird.
10%
off!
Aftersales promotion
Enjoy 10% off
wiper blades!
Clear up your driving vision this rainy season with
these Volkswagen Genuine wiper blades. Find out
more from the friendly staff at the Parts Counter!
09
Feature
Motorsport
WRC spotlight 2016.
Following its success in 2015, the Volkswagen Motorsport team is all set for new challenges in the
next thrilling season of the World Rally Championship. Beginning with Rallye Monte-Carlo in January,
the 14-round series will feature a mix of gravel, asphalt, snow and ice routes across five continents.
Here’s a quick look at what fans can expect in the upcoming year!
The art of sniffing.
Jörg Göldenitz smells for a living.
In other words, Göldenitz is an olfactory expert at the
Volkswagen factory in Wolfsburg. He has over 15 years
of experience and is part of a 12-member team in the
Quality Assurance department. His laboratory distinguishes
between 150 odour nuances of car components including
seatbelts, carpet fabric and even dashboards. Everything
that is installed in a Volkswagen first needs the go-ahead
from Göldenitz and his team.
different stations twice
a day. The first examines
smaller parts which are
placed in jars, while
a separate chamber
houses the larger parts
such as steering wheels
or doors. There is also
the vehicle test bench,
a garage for the whole
car where the entire interior is sniffed. At each station,
marks are given by Göldenitz and his team and they decide
whether the material should be allowed in vehicles or if it
should be improved on.
2016 RALLY CALENDAR.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Asia joins in the action by becoming the fifth
continent to host a WRC race. Rally China returns
for the first time since 1999 – the all-asphalt event
based in the Huairou district, 70 km from central
Beijing, will take place in September.
Rally GB remains the final stage of the
European leg of the championship, but it will
not be the season-ending race like it has been
in recent years. Tricky late-year conditions
make this event a particularly challenging one.
Rally Australia moves from its usual September
slot to becoming the last race in 2016. Sydney
will play host to a glamorous, high-profile gala
finale to the season.
ROUND
RALLY
DATE
1.
Monte-Carlo
21 - 24 January
2.
Sweden
11 - 14 February
3.
Mexico
3 - 6 March
4.
Argentina
21 - 24 April
5.
Portugal
19 - 22 May
6.
Italia
9 - 12 June
7.
Poland
30 June - 3 July
8.
Finland
28 - 31 July
9.
Germany
18 - 21 August
10.
China
8 - 11 September
11.
France
29 September - 2 October
12.
Spain
13 - 16 October
13.
Great Britain
27 - 30 October
14.
Australia
17 - 20 November
“The nose plays a
major role in the
decision-making
process when buying
a new vehicle.”
But why is smell so important?
“The nose plays a major role in the decision-making process
when buying a new vehicle,” he explains. In fact, his team
discovered that potential car buyers are most drawn to
the smell of leather because it conveys a desirable feeling
of well-being and quality. An exception are consumers in
China. As a solution, only leather with low inherent odour is
used for the Chinese market.
But his job is no easy feat. The components are heated
to different temperatures before they are tested at three
10
The synthetic materials
used to improve the
technical properties of
car parts pose an added
challenge to the team. Due
to the presence of additives,
unpleasant odours sometimes result when these parts are
placed together. Not to be out-sniffed, state-of-the-art
electronic measuring devices are used too to ensure the
best outcomes, though Göldenitz explains that sometimes
a good old-fashioned nose check reveals results that
machines would not be able to detect.
“I once had a component that smelled of liver sausage.
Or to be more precise, of delicious, spicy Palatinate liver
sausage”, shares the chemist. Needless to say, his verdict
was a straight fail.
11
Motorsport
“Why I bought a
300 PS Passat.”
The Passat R36 is one of Volkswagen’s most powerful
production models to date. Creative Director Joel Tam
shares why it is the perfect ride for him.
Me & my
Volkswagen
Please tell us more about your car.
The Volkswagen Passat R36 is a really
phenomenal car. Powered by a smooth
and powerful 300 PS V6 engine, and with
room for five and more, it has the best
combination of pace, space and grace.
You must love cars to have picked the R36.
Oh yes, I’ve been a car enthusiast for as
long as I can remember. I’m also a big fan of
the Volkswagen brand.
That’s cool! What are some models you’ve
owned previously?
I’ve had a Golf GTI, a Golf R32 and my wife
still drives our family Skoda Octavia Combi,
which is ‘related’ to Volkswagen (laughs).
Do you have a favourite?
The R36 I have now is my favourite hands
down! Ever since I sold my R32, which uses
a similar engine design, a few years ago, I’ve
been dreaming about owning an R36. Now
that I have it, I’m actually growing to love it
more and more each day.
What about it makes it so special for you?
The Volkswagen engineers back then must
have been crazy... and brilliant! They put a
3.6-litre V6 engine into a mild but handsome
looking sedan, tuned it to 300 PS and made
it capable of hitting 100 km/h from standstill
in less than six seconds. That’s faster than
a standard Porsche 911! With Volkswagen’s
4MOTION all-wheel drive system, it grips and
corners exceptionally too. Oh, let’s not forget
the sound of that sonorous V6! Mmmm...
Will you be personalising the car in any way?
Not really, the R36 is a rare car and I would
like to keep it as original as possible. I plan
to source for a set of the original ‘Omanyt’
wheels and maybe get a spare performance
exhaust system for track use.
Joel shares more favourite
things about his R36.
KEYLESS ACCESS.
“Keyless access with push
start/stop function on the
R36 means I don’t have to
whip out my key at all to
lock and unlock the car.”
QUICK-SHIFTING
6-SPEED DSG.
”What’s a fast Volkswagen
without that instantaneous
dual-clutch gearbox? I
just love how the revs
are matched with every
downshift.”
14-WAY ADJUSTABLE
SPORTS SEATS.
”My wife and I love how the
seats are so comfortable
yet sporty at the same
time. Both the front and
rear seats have heating
functions too - perfect
for this season of cool
weather.”
SMART
STORAGE.
“I’m never short of storage
space in the Passat. The
boot is huuuge and the
car even has a special
compartment for an
umbrella on the driver’s
door, like a Rolls Royce!”
12
13
The perfect pair.
The Beetle and Golf Cabriolet wedding cars.
Celebrate your journey of romance with one of these gorgeous wedding cars. Both
the iconic Beetle and stylish Golf Cabriolet will dazzle your guests and let you live the
fairytale wedding of your dreams. Ideal for wedding photoshoots or to drive to your
wedding party – with these irresistible rides, you’ll never have eyes for another.
Fall in love with them at vw.com.sg/wedding today.
VolkswagenSG