Volkswagen celebrates 65 years in Canada
This year, Volkswagen Canada is celebrating 65 years in the Canadian marketplace. In that time, we’ve gone from selling a pair of air-cooled vehicles that were known for their simplicity, durability and maybe even for a hint of quirkiness, to offering a complete lineup of cars and light trucks, including one that no longer even needs conventional fuel to operate.
The e-Golf is Volkswagen’s answer to the electric question, and quite an interesting answer it is. In delivering more than 200 kilometres of range on a single charge, the e- Golf has become one of our most talked-about vehicles. Sales of electric vehicles in Canada are just now starting to take off, and manufacturers like Volkswagen are responding with a diverse array of vehicles.
Canadians have come to know and love the Golf, which has been part of our portfolio since 1975. Now, they can count on the same attributes inherent in all Golf models, only without any dependence on fossil fuel. And this is only the start. Over the next few years, Volkswagen will develop a complete lineup of electric vehicles, each built off a dedicated electric-only platform that will not be constrained by a design originally meant for a conventional engine. This lineup will include both passenger cars and SUVs, thereby giving Canadians a choice of vehicles that best suit their lifestyles. What was up until recently only a dream will soon become a reality, as more and more drivers move toward an electric future.
Conventional cars, with traditional powertrains, will still play a significant role in our future mobility. What will change most is how these cars look and how they will interact with the world around them.
Volkswagen has recently released two brand-new SUVs that put the emphasis on utility.
The Atlas is our first true sevenpassenger SUV. Designed with a growing family in mind, the truck combines bold exterior styling with an upscale interior that not only carries seven full-sized adults, but also allows them quick and easy access to each row of seats.
Add in the latest safety systems and an intuitive infotainment package and you have a vehicle that will fit the needs of almost every family.
The all-new Tiguan offers much the same, sized just a bit smaller. Its spacious interior boasts an available third-row seat that specializes in accommodating those unexpected guests our children so often surprise us with. Superb handling and a compact footprint make the Tiguan feel at home in the urban jungle, while Volkswagen’s 4Motion all-wheel drive provides a level of grip that makes tackling any country road a pleasure — in all kinds of weather.
We could not be more excited about our lineup of vehicles, and we are also aware that now, more than ever, it is no longer only a matter of engine size and seating capacity.
Today’s consumer is often just as interested in how their car connects with the outside world. Volkswagen’s latest generation of infotainment systems delivers on all levels. Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and MirrorLink provide seamless integration of most smartphones, and help to prevent driver distraction by replicating a phone’s functions on the car’s infotainment screen. Better connectivity, improved functionality and safer driving is our goal, and this intuitive system is a perfect example.
As well, Volkswagen’s new “digital cockpit” offers driver-configurable screens that are easy to use, and provide the driver a level of information that was virtually impossible with conventional dashboard displays.
At Volkswagen, we will never stop innovating. That same spirit of “constant improvement” that was applied to the Beetles of the 1950s and ’60s is at work today, making our cars safer, more comfortable, and ever more driver- and passenger-friendly. We hope this will carry us through our next 65 years in Canada.