News.

Six models given the top Euro NCAP rating

Dubai, 26 October 2009 - Vehicle safety is the top priority at Volkswagen. This is emphasised by the current Euro NCAP ratings, according to which a total of six Volkswagen models (Polo, Golf, Tiguan, Touran, Passat and Touareg) were awarded the maximum five-star rating for the demanding crash tests. Volkswagen therefore offers its customers one of the safest model ranges in the world.

"We achieved the top rating for the Polo a few weeks ago, in spite of more stringent Euro NCAP crash test conditions. The same applies to the sixth-generation Golf and the Tiguan. We are very proud of this because safety has a long tradition at Volkswagen and will also be a guide for the development of new models in the future", explained member of the Board for Development for the Volkswagen Brand, Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg.

Volkswagen has always developed safety technology which sets standards in the automotive market. An example of this is the Electronic Stabilisation Programme (ESP), whose first class technology is accessible not only to the luxury class, but to customers from all automotive segments. ESP is today without doubt part of the basic equipment of many new vehicles. In the new Polo it is even available as standard.

The current GTI campaign proves that improving vehicle safety is of great importance at Volkswagen. As a result, Europe's biggest automobile manufacturer is offering GTI customers who are less than 21 years of age free driving safety training because, as is known from motorsport, a car is only as good as its driver.

Euro NCAP (New Car Assessment Programme) is recognised today as one of the most important gauges of vehicle safety. Its offset crash test has even more stringent conditions than EU law.