Volkswagen Middle East’s managing director Stefan Mecha says that the auto-giant can take market share in the commercial vehicles segment.
Mecha told The National that VW’s newly redesigned Jetta will also see the company take on the ubiquitous Toyota Corolla in the UAE.
“In the light commercial vehicle segment, the Amarok is probably the most important vehicle we’ve ever had,” he said. “By the mid to end of 2012 we will have the right configurations of the car available to see large numbers on the street.”
VW’s market share in the UAE is currently at 3% but Mecha revealed that it is growing by 0.5% per year. He estimates that the company can use the new launches at springboards for growth rates of 50-60%.
“The key thing is to show we are affordable. There is a myth that German-engineered cars tend to be premium and probably on the higher side [of price]. We need to break this perception and explain while the car might not be the cheapest, it’s the best value for money. This is why the Jetta is so important for us.”
“We’ll have three new products to capitalise on. But this is just the starting point. We have to get our feet on the ground and understand the customer base that today we don’t have.”
“The challenge for us here is pretty clear,” Mecha said. “In other markets, such as Europe, we’re seen as a premium manufacturer, but premium in the volume segments. Here we’re purely considered a premium brand, and competing in the premium markets.”
