The new Volkswagen Tiguan L has been launched on the Chinese car market. The L is a long-wheelbase variant of the Tiguan SUV. It is manufactured in China by the Shanghai-Volkswagen joint venture.
The Tiguan L will also be marketed in Europe and North America where it will be called the Tiguan Allspace. The European version will be manufactured in Germany and the North American version in Mexico.
The Tiguan L stands on Volkswagen's MQB platform. Wheelbase has been extended by 11 centimeters. This translates into 6 centimeters more legroom in the back seats and 115 liters extra boot space. Size: 4712/1839/1673, and wheelbase is 2791.
In China there are two versions available: the 330TSI powered by a 1.8 liter turbo with 180hp and 300nm, and the 380THIS powered by a 2.0 turbo with 220hp and 350nm. Both engines are mated to a seven-speed DCT. The 330TSI is front-wheel drive, the 380TSI is all-wheel drive.
Price starts at 223,800 yuan and ends at 359,800 yuan ($32,695 - $52,563). All the prices of the entire range end with an eight and that is no coincidence; eight is a lucky number in Chinese culture so many automakers have eights in their pricing, hoping to convince buyers they will be very lucky if they buy the car.
Interestingly, the Tiguan L was always billed as a seven-seat car, but it is only offered in a five-seat configuration with no seven-seat option available. Volkswagen has suddenly gone quiet about it so it is not sure whether a seven-seat variant will launch in the future.
The interior is typically Volkswagen, but with a Chinese twist; the air conditioning system has been fitted with an air purifier that cleans the dangerous PM2.5 particles out of the heavily polluted air. Chinese car maker BYD was the first to offer an in-car purifier in 2014, and this example has since been followed by almost every car maker that operates in China.
"L" versions of automobiles used to be high end sedan-only and China-only but the quest for more space has moved over to every segment and the entire world. Car makers in China now offer long-wheel base crossovers, SUVs, MPVs, and sedans in every segment.
The rest of the world has discovered that this long Chinese style isn't laughable but actually luxurious, and L's are now in high demand elsewhere. Various automakers are already exporting long-wheelbase sedans from China but Volkswagen is the first company to build an L car worldwide. More L to come...
