I bet they return to their roots a bit. As nice as the Phaeton and new Passat are, it doesn’t fit their previous image.

The new GTI commercials are a little more like it. (albeit a bit weird)

OMG that freaky German guy creeps me out! lol That green color is hot!

Well, I vote to sit and see what direction the company goes in. I’m pretty sure that which ever direction they choose will be good.

VW was hot when it had distinct design and street appeal. Now they replaced the Jetta with a Corolla, the Golf err Rabbitt looks like half a Jetta and they’ve had problems with the Toureg. Design wise VW needs to work on their exteriors so kids want to kit those cars out again and create buzz (free guitars don’t).

pffft..V10 tuareg, hot hatch scirocco.

I think VW has already taken a good step with the new GTI, aside from the bugeye taillights. I drove it the other day, and it’s a ton of fun. The car feels much lighter than it really is.

Hopefully they’ll really go back to affordable and fun cars, although I think that affordable is pretty much our the window now.

I hope they make the scirocco less of a hatchback and more of a fastback. That was my only dissapointment with it.

I love the up market VW products, such a shame so many failed the automotive intelligence test.

VW needs to get GOOD product in North America. Where’s the R32? Where’s the R-line pacakages or Individual program? Everything they send over here is too late and limited options. Where’s the red leather for the Eos? We finally got the 5th generation Golf this fall, 2 years after the rest of the world. What do they think, that the USA is some dumping ground for old product?

Madcapp –VW and Audi have always shortchanged the US in its premier performance models.

They are idiots.

Still, my GF has an ‘06 GLI, and its nice.

I agree with acura_el that the production Scirocco should stray from the squashed-GTI-looking IROC concept, with a more distinctive roofline and simplified front end.. I found myself beside a late-70s Scirocco on the freeway today and was reminded just how sporty and distinctive its styling managed to be while still providing adequate room for four. IROC’s 1990s Civic hatchback styling is not the way for the next Scirocco.

mr. texas –”……such a shame so many failed the automotive intelligence test.”

So true. Americans are stupid.

Why would a country that likes American Idol and Desperate Houswives be expected to act any differently?

Hopes this mean they could still make the GX3.

I have an 06 GLI and besides the fact that its front wheel drive there isnt much they could do to make it a better car. Amen to Diel with the GX3, that would be even more beneficial to the brands image than the V10 touareg. Glad theyre keeping that on board too. I also agree its about time they quit shortchanging us with the high-performance models, im getting real impatient. The scirocco needs better styling as well. Maybe its just the lime green that isnt selling me – i dont care what the heritage is, it shouldve been black.
PS brendino, the “new” GTI commercials are the same ones from before, just released again… unless theres some unknown one your speaking of.

Yeah, well you know what I think guys?

VW needs to catch up on some of the techology good ol’ General’s got. Check this out for instance!

Today I met TWELVE-THOUSAND FIVE-HUNDRED AND SIXTY-THREE people with Honda Civic hybrids complaining that their cars only got 6 mpg and that each of their batteries exploded and caused acid to spew all over their heads leaving them bald and angry. I told them that my *SWEET* G6 gets 20,000,000 mpg and it has a special battery that will instantly cause you to grow your hair back in the event of a battery explosion and make your instantly happy. On top of that, the *SWEET* G6 can even call your local barbershop and schedule an appointment FOR you if you aren’t satisfied with the way it grew back (Onstar!). Each and every one of them told me that they were going to head over to the local dealership and trade in their Civic’s for some *SWEET* G6’s!

TAKE THAT IMPORTS. IT’S ALL FACT.

^^^ lol. i think i will trade my Phantom for a G6, my F430 for a saturn sky, and my Veyron for a Z06 corvette then. Thank you for the advice. All gm cars can grow you hair.

GX3…GX3…GX3…GX3…GX3

No, not the GX3. If you want to pick a concept for production, its gonna have to be the Concept R.

http://www.webwombat.com.au/motoring/news_reports/vwfrankfurt.htm

Maybe they could build it on the Solstice/Sky platform and make that “GmNumeroUno” guy happy as a Catholic priest at a boy scout convention.

I have always been in love with VW’s, and I wish they were more reliable vehicles. VW is a brand that has a certain magic to it. There is an intangible property associated with VW that draws people in. Much like Apple Computers, the art of design at VW is typically clean, simple, and elegant, like I-pods or I-macs. Both companies are also “alternatives” to main stream products like IBM PCs and Buicks, thus feeding that need people have, to be different, like everyone else.

VW should bring North America a VW built van/bus model with a Westfalia variant, not the Chrysler minivan rebadge due next year. TDI’s must be available across the product line up. And they also need to get busy designing and building me a modern Karmann Ghia.

How about a rear wheel drive or all wheel drive Scirocco? The wheelbase is so long that the car really needs it if VW wants it to be taken seriously.

Hopefully VW will continue to focus on superior engineering, build quality and most importantly fleshing out the number of avaiable specs for each of their main model lineups. I figure each line should at least have a diesel, a decent base model (but not aa stripper model, a “deluxe” engine and handling upgrade for the base model (GTi type) and an uber option (R series etc). To add to that, they could do a wilder, more unique spinoff on each platform or for each segments (GX3, Concept R, Scirocco etc.).

They’re not so far off from this as is but they really should work on getting the full range of models for each platform to the States much quicker that they are – ideally they’d arrive all at the same time, or at least within a few months of the European models. They are a European brand after all so I think they would please alot more people if they had the same cars everywhere at the same time, instead of unveiling something great in one market and then having to turn customers away in another market who show up wanting that latest and greatest model but can’t get it for YEARS after it’s out.

Don’t see the point in VW doing stipper models either, they can’t compete with the Americans, japanese and Koreans in terms of cost on their existing platforms. If they want to go for the low end of the market, they should just bring over the Polo, Fox or Lupo.

I’d also worry about model saturation and duplication though, such as Audi and Mercedes have done. As long as each models is targeting a specific niche they’ll be fine but not so sure about the scoricco – nice car and all but it would probably just cannibalize GTi sales.

Isn’t it true that the VW company sells millions of vehicles worldwide and we (the US) account for less than 300,000? Do you think they think of us first when developing the new products?

Irrespective what VW’s plans, no prospective owner should purchase one without a comprehensive extended warranty in place. No prospective owner should buy a used one.

With the exception of the GTI, VW doesn’t have much to offer to the general public. None of their products are class leading and their reliability has been extremely bad. I like them for their styles and performance but owning one takes a great deal of thinking.

I love how VW wants to be as good as a Chevrolet. As if the buying public is that stupid to think a VW IROC is as cool or classic as the Chevy.

And it seems that ailing Volkswagen is shoing signs of desperation. Hoping that these big changes can keep them from being wiped out by the American Revolution.

“VW should bring North America a VW built van/bus model with a Westfalia variant, not the Chrysler minivan rebadge due next year. TDI’s must be available across the product line up. ”

AMEN! Come on VW, didn’t a German invent the diesel, the sliding van door, and the pop-top camper?? It seems that VW’s recent American market strategy consits of trying to copy GM and Ford’s decline into obscurity…

The actor in the VW commercials is Peter Stomare. He plays the most amazing Lucifer ever in the movie Constantine. NetFlix it.

And he is actually Swedish, not German…

Jon.

haha gm number zero, chevys are pathetic especialy since they sell rebadged daewoos as chevys i europe. seriously u guys must get the bad qualtiy v dubs cause here thy are number one.

GMnumberone4ever says VW will be wiped out by the American Revolution? How many BILLIONS of dollars does GM lose each year? VW has nothing to worry about. Also, didn’t VW sales increase in 2006 while GM sales had a decrease? Why is someone as ignorant as GMnumberone4ever allowed to comment on this site?

@ meanpants555,

Stormare did a great Satan in Constantine! He’s great in everything really, including unpimping autos.

Dr. Winterkorn: please – more of those wacky commercials. There’s a lot of innovation at VW and they produce a very appealing package. But perhaps the real issue with VWs is more to do with the US dealerships (bad) rather than the product itself (good).

The US dealerships are as dork as the customer demographic. VW simply takes advantage of this like any good corporape citizen.

vwjamesmc, must be WAY different in Europe. Everyone in the US knows Volkswagons are for losers and pansies. Over here, we buy real cars like Chevrolets and Pontiacs.

Funny, it seemed that GM was the car of choice by a long shot in England. Almost nobody drove VW and pretty much nobody drove German for that matter. You must be a rarity. Has your Vdub broken down yet? They usually do right before the first car payment goes out.

GMnumberminusinfinity4ever –

You need to save what ever dignity you have left and get a grip on reality. If you think a Pontiac and Chevrolet have an ounce of personality over an entry level VW’s you should be ashamed of your judgment, those cars have the appeal and engineering technology nearing the bottom of the industry. The interior is designed by playschool and the drivability is embarrassing. I have to admit I was actually laughing out loud reading your posts. Admit you push GM’s to the typical ignorant ill informed customers who buy into the lame American Revolution to feed yourself.

I would totally pick a Chevy Malibu over a VW R32.
Viva la American Revolution!