Volkswagen's launch plan for Brazil and Argentina totals 20 new products of which five are SUVs, a segment in which the automaker has been weak in South America so far.
First to arrive is the just-launched five or seven-seat Tiguan Allspace. It comes from Mexico under a controlled customs accord (not quite free trade) so prices are competitive at BRL129,400/US$36,000 to BRL179,900/$50,000.
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The second, confirmed product is the T-Cross but this will be built locally on the Virtus (Polo) saloon's 2.65 m wheelbase and will therefore be longer than the European version on the 2.56m Polo wheelbase. Production will be at Sao Jose dos Pinhais, Parana state, from January 2019.
The third SUV will come from the General Pacheco, Argentina manufacturing plant in Greater Buenos Aires by 2020. It may be badged Tarek and its wheelbase will probably match the new Jetta's 2.69 m.
As for the other two, there is ongoing speculation because VW is saying nothing. The most likely is the Atlas from the US, probably the five-seat version due out soon.
The fifth could be an 'adventurer' packaged Polo, also out in 2019, and built in Sao Bernardo do Campo in Greater Sao Paulo.
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By GlobalDataHonda opened the 'crossover corral gate' with its Fit-derived WR-V and other automakers certainly will follow (the Ka FreeStyle for starters by mid-year).
VW also launched a V6 diesel, Argentina-made Amarok pickup two months ago.
Other models are still secret but just-auto has learned some details.
Besides the new Jetta confirmed for next September, there will be GTS versions of the Polo and Virtus, very low-scale imports of the electric e-Golf and hybrid GTE Golf, plus a facelft for the current Golf VII and, for the first time, a six-speed Aisin epicyclic automatic for current Gen V Gol and Voyage.
Also expected is the Gol successor, probably in 2020. It is not known what platform will be used.
In the plans are a larger pickup than the current, Gol family-derived Saveiro. Besides a new name it will go with a double cabin and a four-door body and be a similar size to the Renault Duster Oroch. It will be built on the MQB A0 platform in 2020.
The current Voyage and Saveiro (PQ24/25 platform) will get a facelift and remain in production, together with the Fox, until 2021 at least.
