VOLKSWAGEN’s newly-refreshed Tiguan Allspace vary now numbers seven completely different variants. Encompassing the entry-level 110 TSI Life all the way in which as much as the all-wheel drive 147 TDI R-Line, the seven-seater vary has been each rationalised and expanded.
The earlier vary was topped by the Class trim degree with the non-compulsory R-Line pack, however the success of that bundle prompted VW Australia to make it a standalone variant.
In keeping with VW Australia’s common supervisor of company communications, Paul Pottinger, the availability of latest new-vehicle inventory has been an ongoing battle for the Sydney-based importer.
“We’ve so seldom (in both 5 or seven-seat configuration) had something like enough provide. The order banks are overflowing.”
The pandemic has affected practically half of the Allspace’s mannequin lifecycle in Australia, which has made life tougher for the corporate.
“Provide has been – how can I put this diplomatically? – screwed. It’s about as unhealthy a provide because it will get so it’s arduous to have any actual foundation for comparability. We’ve had such sporadic quantity for such a very long time. We all know from purchaser intent and orders that the 162 remains to be overwhelmingly – because it has been since its inception – the primary alternative.”
VW Australia’s product supervisor for the Tiguan and Tiguan Allspace, Glenn Reid, continued the theme, saying that the 162-engined Tiguans have been the best problem to acquire.
“We’re having points with leather-based and electrical seats, the click-clack lights, the Matrix LED headlights, all of those high-spec options.”
Nonetheless, Mr Reid and his crew has noticed a method to get the 162 into showrooms: by reaching for the Journey badge beforehand used on the short-wheelbase Tiguan.
“We had been unable to construct the R-Line or Class in a quantity that was appropriate for our market and we actually needed to get that driveline again into the showroom as shortly as doable.
“So we got here up with the thought of doing a Life-grade model of that automotive, however we needed to make it one thing particular with the Journey. So, we principally sort of mirrored a number of the specification of our Professional Line, which is a police pursuit automotive. It simply so occurred that a number of the weather we had in that automotive suited the Journey idea very well.”
Whereas there may be a lot from the Professional Line specification, Journey house owners will miss out on the police entrance seats, which Reid says is “extra OH&S pleasant”, with the civilian model that includes the material seats from the Life.
“The Journey has issues like additional bash plates beneath and we’ve obtained the bigger boot with 5 seats as a substitute of seven, which is a very thrilling factor. We’ve obtained the bigger alternator and larger battery so you’ll be able to energy your tenting gear tools on the campsite.”
Whereas primarily based on the Professional Line, the Journey is lacking a number of of the cop-spec options.
“There are some variations [to the Pro]. This automotive has 17-inch alloys (as a substitute of 18s) and that’s to permit fitment of snow chains legally.
“It’s thrilling for us as a result of we’ve got these non-compulsory packages that the shopper can select from – they usually get certainly one of these accent packages at no cost and certainly one of them is snow chains. We really obtained real VW snow chains for the primary time. It’s cool to have the ability to supply that.”
The Tiguan Allspace Journey will arrive later within the yr with a $51,900 price ticket.
“With out query it’s the preferred [engine] and with the ability to construct them in a considerable amount and get them right here actually shortly was the driving power behind this automotive.”
