VW Golf puts safety first
VW Golf puts safety first
Primastuti Handayani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Wenda Wonoseputro has a cautionary tale for those who are
thinking of buying a new car.
"A noted businessman, who is a friend of mine, still regrets
his choice of car. He was paralyzed permanently in an accident
and has to run his business from his wheelchair. This happened
simply because he didn't pay much attention to the safety
features offered when he bought his car," Wenda, the president
director of PT Car and Cars Indonesia, said recently.
Wenda says she always recommends a car proven to have the best
safety features in the world.
Which means, conveniently, the cars she sells: "I told my
children to drive the Volkswagen (VW) Polo; before the fifth
generation of VW Golf entered the country," she said.
PT Car and Cars Indonesia is the authorized Volkswagen
distributor for Indonesia. The company recently introduced three
models: a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) called Touareg for the
premium market segment, a luxurious Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV)
Caravelle and the Golf for the young and for hatchback fanatics.
The three cars were unveiled at the opening of the Second
Jakarta Motor Show at the Jakarta Convention Center in Senayan,
Central Jakarta.
Wenda says the presence of the Golf -- which appears in two
variants: the 1.6L and 2.0L FSI -- was much-awaited by die-hard
Volkswagen fans.
"The reputation and the long history of the car has
successfully convinced more than 22 million people to own the
Golf (from different generations) worldwide. We want to continue
the legendary car with a safer, more-comfortable and more-
luxurious new generation," she said, referring to the vehicle
which first entered production line in 1974.
The fifth-generation Golf received 12 stars from the Euro NCAP
(New Car Assessment Program), a European-based independent
institution that tests the safety of every new car launched in
the continent.
In the test results released in June, the car received five
stars for occupant protection in the frontal and side-impact
tests, four stars for child protection as well as three stars for
the protection of pedestrians.
Since safety is the top priority of the car, it is equipped
with six airbags, active head restraints, an ESP (electronic
stability program) with brake assist, belt pre-tensioners and
belt force limiters and ABS (an anti-lock brake system).
The Golf is also equipped with "tailored blank" technology and
crash-optimized foot controls (COF) to protect the driver and
front-seat passenger in a high-impact car crash. The technology
enables the front part of the car to absorb the maximum energy
resulting from the crash.
The vehicle is also tested to be able to endure a crash from
the rear at 80 kilometers per hour that hits 70 percent of the
car's body -- without any rupturing of the fuel tank.
As a fifth-generation car, the new Golf has futuristic design
without losing its character.
Customers have a choice of two engines -- either a four-
cylinder 1.6l engine or a four-cylinder 2.0l FSI (full strasified
injection) motor -- under the bonnet depending on their
specifications.
The 1.6l engine puts out a maximum 102 horse power (hp) at
5,600 revolutions per minute (rpm) and a maximum torque at 148
Newton meter (Nm) at 3,800 rpm. While the 2.0l FSI's maximum
power is 150 hp at 6,000 rpm with a maximum torque of 200 Nm at
3,500 rpm.
Available in six-speed tiptronic automatic transmission only,
the Golf can accelerate from 0-100 kilometers in 12.5 seconds and
9.5 seconds respectively.
The Golf is offered at Rp 268.5 million (US$28,955) and Rp 315
million for the 1.6l and the 2.0l FSI respectively.
With only three months left from year's end, Wenda said she
expected to sell an average of about 10 Golfs a month with sales
likely to increase by 50 percent next year.