(From left) Volkswagen managing director Thomas Milz, head of sales and marketing Christian Klinger, and Q-Auto chairperson Sheikha Hanadi bint Nasser bin Khaled al-Thani during the launching of the GTI Roadster concept car.

By Peter Alagos
Business Reporter

Qatar's massive infrastructure works in preparation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup could spur growth for German car manufacturer Volkswagen, managing director Thomas Milz told Gulf Times.
“What I believe is that with all the development that is happening in Qatar these days, there is a good potential that this market will grow,” Milz said along the sidelines of the launching of new vehicles, including two concept cars at the Qatar Motor Show on Thursday.
“When you go back five to 10 years and see where we are today in Doha and then think about the next five to 10 years, with all the investments in infrastructure and other development projects, this is going to be a great place.”
Milz added that Volkswagen is planning to establish “quick service” outlets in various locations in Doha, though he clarified that the project’s implementation lies on the availability of a “good location.”
“You may see something already this year but all of that would really depend on available locations. We definitely intend to do so and Q-Auto is fully-committed, however, you really need to find the right location, especially one that would fit a certain customer experience,” Milz stressed.
Asked if Volkswagen has expansion plans for 2015, he said: “We always have expansion plans all over the world. In Qatar, we have a very good partner, Q-Auto, which had already invested a lot such as the state-of-the-art showroom it opened last year along Salwa Road.”
“Q-Auto definitely has a long-term strategy for more facilities and they are committed to the brand. Now they are developing the Volkswagen brand and volume in Doha,” he noted.
At the Qatar Motor Show, Milz announced the arrival to the Middle East of a more powerful Jetta, which is expected to be available across all Volkswagen showrooms in May.
“The Jetta is now powerful than ever before with a 2.5l engine and completes the 0-100km/h sprint in just nine seconds – a full 3.6 faster than the previous model. The new Jetta sports a mature shape with an elegant yet sporty design and, with fuel consumption of 7.1l/100km, we hope to offer better value and an economical drive experience to our customers,” Milz said.
He also led the launching of two concept cars, the Golf R 400 and the super GTI Roadster, Vision Gran Turismo from the PlayStation 3 game “Gran Turismo 6.”
The Golf R 400 is powered by a 2.0 TSI engine and is catapulted from zero to 100km/h in 3.9 seconds. The top speed is 280km/h, and the maximum torque of 450 Newton metres is available, starting at 2,400 rpm.
With the GTI Roadster concept, the two-seat convertible is powered by a 3.0 litre V6 biturbo engine that produces a power of 370 kW / 503 HP. The V6 TSI develops a maximum torque of 560 Nm between 4,000 and 6,000 rpm; 500 Nm of that torque is already available at 2,000 rpm in the direct-injection petrol engine.