Once the dominant player in China’s auto market with a 50-percent marketshare, VW’s Sino sales have fallen dramatically recently to the point it’s number one position is being threatened by GM. Enter the Sagitar, a renamed version of the Jetta that the company says is the “best example of German engineering and quality brought to China.” Dubbed the brand’s new flagship model for China, the Sagitar doesn’t appear to visually divert from the Jetta in any way, shape or form.
The company has seen a 40-percent rise in sales during the first quarter of 2005 versus the same period last year and its hoping the Sagitar will further boost that momentum.
[Source: Press of Atlantic City via German Car Blog]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Michael Karesh @ Apr 10th 2006 9:49AM
THe diesel in the Liberty might be a common-rail design, but it sounds and feels like an old-school diesel. Hardly suited for service in an SUV, and definitely not suitable for a car. Probably large and heavy as well.
My review of the Liberty CRD: http://www.epinions.com/content_210733469316
Chrysler buys those engines anyway, from an Italian company.
Michael Karesh @ Apr 10th 2006 9:49AM
THe diesel in the Liberty might be a common-rail design, but it sounds and feels like an old-school diesel. Hardly suited for service in an SUV, and definitely not suitable for a car. Probably large and heavy as well.
My review of the Liberty CRD: http://www.epinions.com/content_210733469316
Chrysler buys those engines anyway, from an Italian company.
bhtooefr @ Apr 10th 2006 9:59AM
Well... let's see...
China now gets (new versions of)...
9N2 Polo (current is 9NF)
Touareg
Phaeton
B2 Dasher/Passat (Santana)
B4 Passat (Santana 3000)
B5.5+ Passat (has some B6 parts)
A2 Jetta
A4 Jetta (Bora)
A5 Jetta (Sagitar)
Jason Boston @ Apr 10th 2006 10:01AM
First quarter of 2005 is kind of old news, did you mean 2006?
used cars @ Apr 10th 2006 10:05AM
The article is a good read but i cannot say that much about the car, it is not that great looking is it. VW have only ever had one great car and thats the Golf.
felix @ Apr 10th 2006 11:07AM
I dont see too many diesels on the roads here (i live in beijing), but even with a crappy diesel the Jetta would still be more refined than most of the cars on the road here.
bhtooefr @ Apr 10th 2006 1:29PM
Oh, and on the topic of diesels...
I checked the Sagitar website, at http://www.sagitar.com.cn - by stumbling around it (I know zero Chinese, but the FAW-VW sites are almost navigable), I found the two engine choices.
No, not the 2.5 and the 2.0T or anything like that.
The 2.0 and the 1.8T. I'm assuming that they're the ones from the A4 Jetta, and not just smaller versions of the modern engines.
Christian J @ Apr 10th 2006 8:26PM
“best example of German engineering and quality brought to China.”
That's not saying much. They have 1-cyl diesel engines powering pathetic trucks (no cab or body) over there for the great majority of the population.
Brad Gillette @ Apr 10th 2006 10:24PM
Everybody keep an eye out to be the first one to spot a North American Jetta with a Sagitar badge stuck on the back to...be different. I've seen plenty of Boras and Ventos, the trend will continue.
autonews @ Jul 12th 2006 4:59PM
#3, good post