VW launches Santana hatchback to draw young consumers
Volkswagen AG started selling the first hatchback version of its Santana compact sedan in China to lure young car shoppers.
The vehicle, dubbed the Gran Santana, hit the market Friday with a starting price of 96,900 yuan ($15,600).
The vehicle is produced by Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive Co., VW's joint venture with SAIC Motor Corp.
The Santana hatchback has debuted in China at a critical time for Volkswagen, China's top-selling brand. In the first five months, VW-brand sales have declined 3.7 percent to 1.16 million units.
The Santana, which first went on sale in China in 1984, is one of the first models produced by a foreign automaker in China. To date, more than 4.6 million Santana sedans have been sold in China.
The Gran Santana is 4,282 mm long, 1,706 mm wide and 1,475 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,603 mm.
It offers two powertrain choices: a 1.6-liter engine mated with a five-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic transmission; or a 1.4-liter turbocharged engine with a seven-speed direct-shift gearbox.
The vehicle is produced by Shanghai Volkswagen Automotive Co., VW's joint venture with SAIC Motor Corp.
The Santana hatchback has debuted in China at a critical time for Volkswagen, China's top-selling brand. In the first five months, VW-brand sales have declined 3.7 percent to 1.16 million units.
The Santana, which first went on sale in China in 1984, is one of the first models produced by a foreign automaker in China. To date, more than 4.6 million Santana sedans have been sold in China.
The Gran Santana is 4,282 mm long, 1,706 mm wide and 1,475 mm tall, with a wheelbase of 2,603 mm.
It offers two powertrain choices: a 1.6-liter engine mated with a five-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic transmission; or a 1.4-liter turbocharged engine with a seven-speed direct-shift gearbox.
