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05/24/2010 I I
Volkswagen Middle East survey reveals community of young Arab urban adventurers.
| Dubai, 24 May 2010: A survey conducted by Volkswagen Middle East has discovered a thriving community of weekend ‘Ibn Battutas,’ dubbed as ‘Tiguanians’ by the regional headquarters of Europe’s largest car manufacturer. The findings have been released in parallel with the re-launch of the Volkswagen Tiguan, and show that owners of the compact sports utility vehicle (SUV) are predominately a young, professional Arab community of urban adventurers.
The Volkswagen Middle East survey found 42% of the versatile-Tiguan owners to be intrepid outdoor adventure ‘Tiguanians’, enjoying: cycling, driving, hill walking, football, fishing, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, climbing, caving, water sports, snow sports, dune-bashing and wadi-bashing.
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Appealing almost equally to both men and women, the Tiguan has obviously struck a chord with the regions youth, with 39% of ‘Tiguanians’ aged between 25 and 34, and Arab nationals making up 73% of those surveyed. Kuwaitis, with 22%, are the region’s most adventurous nationality. Omanis (18%) were the second most adventurous, and Jordanians (10%) third, closely followed by Syrians (6%), Saudis (4%), and the Emiratis, Egyptians and Lebanese, all with 3%.
Managing Director of Volkswagen Middle East Stefan Mecha, said, “The Tiguan mirrors - and is perfectly suited to - this ‘tribe’ of young Arab thrill-seekers, whom I like to call ‘Tiguanians’.
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| “Like Tiguanians during the working week, the Tiguan adopts a professional on-road urban persona; driving to and from the office, shops and family in comfort and style. But at the weekend, its wild side breaks free, and the Tiguan’s rugged off-road capabilities take its owners away from the beaten track, in search of fun-filled adrenaline-pumping adventure.”
One of the main characteristics of the Tiguan is its versatility. It is recommended for drivers who enjoy the individual appearance and flexibility of a SUV but also expect a premium level of comfort, agility and variability. |
Equipped with one of the latest off-road radio-navigation systems, the RNS 510, the Tiguan navigates its occupants away from civilisation using its off-road function. In this mode, up to 500 waypoints can be stored while driving in non-digitalized areas, allowing drivers to easily find their way back from any off-road adventure. The tours can be automatically recorded by the manual or automatic (Track function) saving of waypoints.
The Tiguan is available in three versions, Trend & Fun, Sport & Style, and the Track & Field.
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The Trend & Fun and Sport & Style versions are designed with the urban environment in mind, with an on-road driving low ride height, and classic front end that still boasts a maximum entry angle of 18 degrees. The exclusive Sport & Style, however, comes with a body and styling package, including: 17” alloy wheels, silver anodized roof rails, chrome window trim and radiator screen, tinted windows and sports seats.
The Tiguan Track & Field version – specially designed for uncompromising off-road duty – with its front end takes up a special position in achieving the greatest possible entry angle (28 instead of 18 degrees). It does not have the pronounced front spoiler with matching air inlets that is found on the Tiguan Sport & Style. Instead, a distinctive integrated engine underbody protection plate extends diagonally from between the tires up to the radiator grille.
Perfect for ‘Tiguanian’ adventuring needs, all versions are equipped with roof racks that can take up to a 100kg payload, and huge cargo area. With five persons on board, the Tiguan already stows 470 litres, and up to 1,510 litres and 650 kilograms payload can be stowed in the Tiguan when the rear seats are folded down.
All Tiguans are equipped with charged TSI engines, delivering greater power and torque, better fuel economy and lower emissions. | |
| Special equipment options for the Tiguan include: Park Assist - enabling automatic backing into a parking space parallel to the roadway; RCD 510 radio (including 6-disc CD changer) and RNS 510 radio-navigation system - controlled in part via a touchscreen (6.5 inch); Rear-view camera; Dynaudio sound system; and enormous Panorama sunroof.
The Tiguan Trend & Fun, Sport & Style, and Track & Field, are available at all Volkswagen dealers throughout the region at a competitive price. |
Notes to Editors:847 Volkswagen Tiguan owners, from over 35 nations in 7 countries were surveyed across the region. The survey was conducted by the regional headquarters of Europe’s largest car manufacturer - Volkswagen Middle East – through its partners in the UAE, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, KSA, Oman, and Qatar. The Tiguan appeals almost equally to both men (56%) and women (46%). |
