The ups and downs of market competition, and it is the most rare to be able to stay true to your original intention.
For example, Volkswagen, which has been in the Chinese market for 40 years, has always been doing something "worthy of its name": providing a variety of high-quality products for the Chinese public, products that meet needs, and products that solve practical problems.
This journey starts from Santana and Jetta, to Passat, Golf Acceleration, and then to Tiguan and Magotan to climb new heights, whether FAW-Volkswagen or SAIC Volkswagen, there are always models that are recognized and loved by consumers.
Today, we have ushered in a new era, and smart + electric has become the core driving force for the automotive industry to roll forward. So as a "VW" that has been deeply cultivated in China for decades, how will it not forget the "original intention of the public"?
At the 2024 Beijing Auto Show, we saw Volkswagen's thinking and actions "in China, for China" in the context of the new era.
Intelligent electrification, firm and not blindly followed
At the Volkswagen Group Media Night and Media Day on the eve of this year's Beijing International Motor Show, the first production model of the new ID. UX category, the ID. UNYX, and the all-new ID. The CODE concept car takes center stage.
Through these two new cars, we found that Volkswagen has noticed a phenomenon, that is, our people's dependence on electronic products, as well as information and digital services, is getting higher and higher. They hope to use new categories and models to make our travel enjoy the benefits of informatization and digitalization in the next few years.
That's why they created the "ID. UX" category, which Volkswagen has positioned as an avant-garde new category for new customer segments, continuously improving in both driving experience and intelligent interactive experience, providing high-quality intelligent e-mobility experience for consumers who love digitalization and networking.
As the first production model in this category, the ID. UNYX is a pure electric coupe SUV model, born in Volkswagen's Hefei Intelligent Connected Electric Vehicle (ICV) Center, which can be said to carry the latest technological achievements of Volkswagen in the field of intelligent electrification, such as the "customizable 3D intelligent voice assistant" based on large language models, which is Volkswagen Anhui's dedication to consumers in the new era.
According to the plan, ID. UNXY will be officially launched by the end of this year, and by 2027, ID. The UX category will feature five new models, including SUVs and sedans. I believe that at that time, we will be exposed to more and more intelligent products and services on a daily basis. The UX category will also allow our travel to be integrated into the closed loop of the "digital ecology".
If it is said that ID. The UX category is an important anchor for Volkswagen's medium-term plan, so ID. The CODE concept car is certainly the product of Volkswagen's long-term thinking.
Andreas Mindt, Chief Designer of Volkswagen's passenger car brand, said that ID. CODE follows three principles in its design: vitality, excellence and inspiration, which I think can also be understood as sports, good looks and high intelligence. These three principles are indeed the mainstream trend in the design of today's models.
Of course, while integrating the "beauty of design" in China, ID. CODE will also introduce more technical capabilities that Chinese consumers need, and become a "powerful tool" for Volkswagen's intelligent electric travel experience.
For example, the Wide-R curved display spans the interior of the car to present realistic 3D scenes, the window widget displays information such as weather forecasts, battery status and navigation maps, the four individual seats provide shoulder-to-shoulder comfort in first class and rotate according to the driving mode to turn the interior into a desk or "twin room", and integrates advanced sensors, lights, The camera and display system have L4 autonomous driving level, and the anthropomorphic AI intelligent assistant can provide practical information and reminders in a timely manner, becoming a more efficient intelligent travel manager.
These also echo the three design principles of this car, especially the "inspiration" part. This kind of intelligent temperament exuded from the inside to the outside believes that after mass production, it will bring us a completely different travel experience.
Through these two forward-looking products, we see Volkswagen's determination in intelligence and electrification, and its dedication to taking the lead in China.
However, Volkswagen is also very calm in the face of this wave, and they have not blindly implemented a "one-size-fits-all" approach in the Chinese market and completely abandoned fuel vehicles. On the contrary, at this year's Beijing Auto Show, Volkswagen also announced that by 2030, it will launch at least 12 smarter and more efficient "new fuel models" and 6 hybrid products.
For example, FAW-Volkswagen's new generation of Magotan is based on the MQB EVO architecture and will be equipped with a 1.5T EVO2 or 2.0T high-power engine, which pursues energy saving and high efficiency in power. At the same time, it will also be equipped with new matrix headlights, head-up display HUD, 15-inch 2K central control screen + 11.6-inch passenger screen, IQ.Pilot developed for China's road conditions, and voice solutions with AI attributes, comprehensively improving the intelligence of the cockpit and driving assistance.
Another example is SAIC Volkswagen's Tiguan L Pro, which is also based on the MQB EVO intelligent architecture, which can achieve "6-screen interaction", as well as the in-depth empowerment of DJI's in-vehicle team, so that this SUV has an L2+ intelligent driving assistance system and intelligent parking system that are well aware of China's road conditions.
Therefore, we see that Volkswagen is "firm and not blindly obedient" when it comes to meeting or catering to the needs of Chinese consumers, and they require all products to have a very high level of intelligence, such as cockpit and driving assistance. Then there are rational electrification attempts, such as forming a separate ID. family and adding hybrid options to the combustion engine vehicle series.
Accelerate the localization of technology
In fact, behind the two new cars, we actually see another level of Volkswagen's "in China, for China", that is, frank and sincere cooperation with local partners. They are also willing to be more open to sharing information with partners and improve the efficiency of the localization of various intelligent systems.
This is also the quality that Volkswagen has had for 40 years, and when they first entered the Chinese market, they brought the products and technologies that the big guys needed the most.
Of course, Volkswagen's more technology implementation is still accelerating. Volkswagen's Hefei Intelligent Connected Electric Vehicle Center will add 3,000 experts by the end of this year to strengthen the ecosystem of production, development and procurement, and the CMP platform for the Chinese market is being developed intensively, and is expected to be used to develop entry-level electric models in China starting in 2026.
And in 2026, Volkswagen and Xpeng Motors will jointly develop two mid-size cars, so that the former's pure electric products can achieve "breaking the circle" and satisfy more consumers.
Che Yun summary
The theme of Volkswagen's auto show is: "Enlightening New Realms", and in a literal sense, Volkswagen still hopes to have some new vitality in the Chinese market, or enter a new state stage. However, there is a big premise for this transformation, that is, it must be the first priority to serve Chinese consumers.
This actually shows the extremely "mature" side of Volkswagen. Knowing that the Chinese market is the most important, we also grasped the habits and needs of consumers, and then methodically carried out the popularization of intelligence and electrification, while adhering to the fuel vehicle market, as well as the bottom line of quality and safety.
Therefore, no matter how the times change and how the tide surges, "VW" is called "Volkswagen's car", and it is well deserved.