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16 November 2018 | AutoData LAUNCH » VW T-CROSS The expectation is that T-Cross sales will grow until making it the second po- sition in the SUVs global ranking of the brand. And it›s in Latin America that the VW executives believe they can achieve greater success because compact mo- dels, such as T-Cross, gain market share every day. Without going into details, Di Si said that the SUVs’ attack in the Latin American market will continue next yearwith the pro- duction start of Tarek, slightly smaller than Tiguan and slightly larger than T-Cross, in the factory of General Pacheco, Argentina. The plan is to put the model on the market from the first quarter of 2020. MADE FOR THE REGION The T-Cross that has been produced in pre-series in São José dos Pinhais is 10 mm higher than the European model and is 88 mm longer on its wheelbase. They are in all 4 thousand 199 mm long and 1 thousand 568 mm height, wheelbase of 2 thousand 651 mm. “Wewill also offer only for Brazilian con- sumers, air conditioning in the rear seats, as well as USB inputs for these occupants, besides an optional sunroof”, said Di Si. “It’s not something that came from our head: we identified these needs in clinics with consumers of Brazil.” The engines of the model commer- cialized in Brazil will be all TSI, equipped market - an objective that he does not have the modesty to hide. In recent interviews the president of VW for Brazil and Argen- tina said that “the fight will be good” with the new SUV launch. Until September, compared to the first nine months of 2017, sales of sport utility vehicles increased 26% in the Brazilianma- rket, compared to an average increase of 8% in the total market without the SUVs. That’s why VW did not save on the mystery and to create expectation for the model’s launch. It gradually revealed details of the design and specifications. Weeks before the São Paulo Auto Show the T-Cross finally had all its lines revealed in simultaneous events that gathered in Amsterdam, Holland, European journa- lists, in São Paulo, Brazil, Latin American reporters and in Shanghai, China, Asian journalists. BUT SALES IN BRAZIL, ONLY IN APRIL. Present at the presentation to Latin American journalists, Jürgen Stackmann, who is part of VW›s global sales, marketing and after-sales board, has projected that SUVswill account for 40% of Volkswagen›s worldwide sales in the future. «This year, VWcar sales increased 2.9% until September around the world, while its SUVs jumped 43.2%. The Tiguan is the world’s best-selling Volkswagen model in the segment.»