Volkswagen's diesel-friendly BlueMotion in Singapore

by Juniper Foo |
Forget hybrids, think diesel. Because that's the way Volkswagen says is the future if you aim to cut both your fuel costs and carbon footprint. Before you utter shock and horror over the idea of diesel, which conjures up images of smoke-spluttering taxi cabs and lorries, the German car maker is out to change your perception. Its first BlueMotion diesel passenger car in Singapore, launched over the weekend, is a fuel-sipper that's not only kind to your wallet, it's kind to the planet. This is identified by a BlueMotion logo on the number plates and "CO2 neutral" stickers on the sides.

With rising gas prices burning a hole in our pockets, BlueMotion's weapon is a technology that gives the 1.4-liter Polo BlueMotion an average fuel consumption of 3.8 liters/100km. Besides reportedly better mileage, regular gasoline costs about S$2.11 a liter (Unleaded 98) vs. S$1.87 for diesel. Though given diesel's rising price, the fuel savings differential appears to be narrowing.

Add to that a CO2 emission rating of 99g/km that's lower than even some hybrid cars, and the Polo BlueMotion makes a proposition worth considering, particularly in light of the Singapore Government's recent reduction of the diesel tax. Since July 1, private diesel cars that meet the stringent Euro IV emission standard attract a supplementary tax of S$1.25 per cubic cm of its engine displacement. As an example, a 1,600cc model now costs a supplementary tax of S$2,000, down from S$2,976, while a 2,000cc car garners S$2,500, from a previous S$4,856. Note that the new tax is subject to a minimum of S$1,250 per year.

That said, the revised diesel tax is still pretty high in comparison with regular petrol cars. Even at a reduced S$2,000 tax for a 1,600cc car, that's roughly 2.7 times the road tax of a gasoline model. One industry veteran also pointed out that you'll need to travel at least 2,000km a month to make it worth the ownership of a diesel passenger car. Personally, for a small-time city driver like myself, considering that it takes me nearly two months to hit 2,000km, going diesel may not make economical sense for now.

So what will it be: Some fuel savings and good low-end torque or a high diesel tax and sticker price of S$85,800? It's a decision only you can make.

To get treehuggers to bite, Volkswagen has pledged to plant seven trees for every Polo BlueMotion sold. This is in conjunction with the Singapore Environment Council and Garden City Fund. Why seven? As Volkswagen's managing director, Dr Olaf Duebel, explained at the press launch, it takes seven trees to absorb a year's worth of CO2 emission from a Polo BlueMotion.

And for those who don't mind paying a premium for the higher torque of a diesel-powered car, which translates to better acceleration and a more fun ride, we were told that test drives of the Polo BlueMotion must be booked in advance, subject to availability.

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