The Art in Travelling with VW Lamando

Volkswagen Philippines brought the Lamando to rediscover the hidden gems within Baguio.

On board a fleet of four Lamandos--a pair of both SE and SEL trims-- select members of the motoring media were immersed in a "culinary and art crawl" in Baguio City and Pampanga.

The two-day road--that combined "The Art of Driving”, "The Art of Culinary," and, "The Visual Arts"--started upon leaving Volkswagen Quezon Avenue.

The Lamando showed its capability early in the drive. The 1.4-liter 4-cylinder, in-line, turbo fuel-injected gasoline engine with BlueMotion Technology easily--through the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) Subic-Clark-Tarlac (SCTEX), and Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union (TPLEX) as well as the wide Asin Road and the twisties all the way to Baguio City.

Since the road is weaving up and down Baguio, the Lamando showed that its German stance remain despite the ruts and uneven road conditions providing utmost comfort.

That and the front McPherson Independent Suspension and the rear Four-link Independent Suspension that was standard for all the Lamandos assured that participants get a smooth ride all throughout the 500-km trip.

Regular-sized participants noticed that they have ample leg and headroom for both front and rear occupants. However, me--having a tall stature found that Lamando was a tad short with its dimensions so I have the grand time of being front passenger during the two-day event.

Since the road to Baguio has steep uphills and we need to keep our convoy tight, the TSI (Turbocharged Stratified Injection) powerplant, mated with the 7-speed direct shift gear (DSG) transmission, showed that it provides that oomph out of that small yet able powertrain.

The executive sedan can dish out 148 horsepower at 5,000rpm and maximum torque of 250 Nm at 1,750 to 3,000rpm.

On board with four more journos, some of them had the time to snooze. The plush leather seats as well as the two-zone Climatronic Airconditioning also came in handy.

The group's trip on a chilly December still had its warm welcome as chefs Vicky Clemente of Mamas's Table and Sau Del Rosario of Café Fleur prepared their signature dishes at their popular dining establishments in Baguio City and Pampanga respectively.

EYE CANDIES

On afternoon of December 4, the group drove to Pinsao Proper to visit the Tam-Awan Art Village.

Talented Baguio artists have managed to blend indigenous aesthetics and exquisite Cordilleran craftsmanship to create artworks depicting their love for the Volkswagen brand, particularly for the iconic Beetle.

The drive also paved way for the announcement of the Volkswagen Lamando Art Competition for Baguio artists.

Organized in support of local artists and seen to enrich the Cordillera culture even more, the competition puts the Lamando design elements in the creative hands of Baguio's best and up-and-coming artists. The awarding ceremony will be held in the first quarter of 2020.

The art crawl continued to the morning of December 5, as the group headed to the Adkos Gallery of Sierra Pines Baguio Hotel. The art gallery, so-named after the Ibaloi word for "decoration," currently displays the works of National Artists Arturo R. Luz, Hernando Ruiz-Ocampo, Carlos 'Botong' V. Francisco, and Vicente Manansala.

Safety was of utmost concern during the event and the Lamandos' Electronic Stabilization Program (ESP)--which detects critical driving conditions such as possible skidding, wheel spin or over/understeering--made sure we are at one piece.

The Active Info Display kept the drivers up to speed with crucial trip information in high-resolution, dynamic color displays while the occupants enjoyed high-quality music from the 9.2-inch infotainment audio system with 8-speakers.

The two-day Culinary and Art Crawl in Baguio and Pampanga on board the Lamando gave participants a better appreciation of the local vibrant art and culinary scene.

Overall, the drive highlighted that Volkswagen Lamando is worth considering.

It looks and feels premium, performs well at a fraction of the fuel consumption compared to its competitors in the market: a gem that is not hard to find.

Also read: Volkswagen Opens 9th Dealership in PH
Volkswagen PH Announces Availability of New Santana, Lamando Variants