Volkswagen’s all-new 2010 Polo has yet to reach the market, but the little hatchback is already causing quite a stir. Volkswagen has reportedly taken more than 13,000 German pre-orders for the new Polo, with more than a full month remaining before the hatchback hits the German market.
According to Automotive News, VW dealers have already taken 13,000 orders for the 2010 Polo. Although the new Polo promises to be a competent little hatch, most of its early success has been chalked up to Germany’s scrapage program.
Under German law, those trading in older, less efficient vehicles on new models are eligible for up to 2,500 euros, or about $3,400. Since Germany put its scrappage law on the books earlier this year new car sales have been way up, with some months seeing 40 percent sales increases.
The Polo has actually already begun production but won’t hit the German market until the last week of June. Two months after its German launch the Polo will hit dealers across Europe. The new Polo is also slated to hit the U.S. market in 2011.
05/12, 3:26 PM
posted by:
mayer_ray_nagin
This sounds better than it really is. IOW – hype.
Most cars in Germany are pre-ordered (with custom option packages) because they dont have the huge overstocked dealerships with a drive-it-home-today mentality. As such it’s standard fare to have a list of deliveries due the first day a car is put on the market.
Still, 13,000 is nothing to sneeze at – it would technically be like 50k orders in the states, but adjusting (by gut) for the need to pre-order in Germany it’d probably be the equivalent of 10k or 15k pre-orders here, which aint the world but aint bad either.
05/12, 3:42 PM
posted by:
idrinorbarsaku
what are you smoking?? Pre-orders only go on the cars that are very popular to buyers over there in Germany. It doesn’t mean every car has thousands of preorders. Considering other cars it compares to, it would be like a ford focus hatchback in the us getting pro-orders….it doesn’t happen.
This is a good thing!!!
05/12, 3:52 PM
posted by:
mayer_ray_nagin
Idrin, I lived there privately 7 years and in fact managed all our corporate fleet vehicles while there.
As I said, pretty much all cars are ordered and waited for there in Germany. This means that prior to an official release date orders are taken for cars if a manafacturer intends for deliveries to occur on the release date. If not most deleiveries would not happen until 6 weeks after release. German car buyers are not generally impulsive like people here. Sometimes pre-production vehicles are displatyed to generate order interest, but by definition any vehicle that is ordered prior to a release date is a “pre-order” and since ordering almost any new vehicle there is the norm, there will naturally be quit a few – espeically for a new, high profile, mass production vehicle like the Polo.
Remember, I said the number are not a bad thing above – but they are also not unusual for a high volume car.
05/12, 3:53 PM
posted by:
Kid Icarus
Yawn
05/12, 3:56 PM
posted by:
idrinorbarsaku
if you say so bud
05/12, 4:39 PM
posted by:
cocojoe53
I like the Scrappage idea….
05/12, 4:54 PM
posted by:
JakeK66
Nagin – Don’t Germans generally over-pay for cars there too, when considering what the cost for cars is over here? I know my VW would be close to $50k if you exchange it to US dollars in Germany – Now I realize that number is bloated somewhat, but even at $35k that’s a good $7k more than sticker on my GTI – options the same and everything. Plus you add in the taxes in Germany it starts to add up.
05/12, 5:08 PM
posted by:
shaver
Jake: Your GTI is made in Mex. Its hard to compare.
Who buys a car with out test driving it 1st. Are these blindly loyal VDub lovers.
05/12, 6:06 PM
posted by:
A4
…yes some of them are. especially if you own a previous generation. VW love is unlike any other.
05/12, 6:22 PM
posted by:
Madcapp
That’s a fabulous car that should be brought to the Superpower immediately! Euro spec and all.
05/12, 11:18 PM
posted by:
maxcar
i concur mayer_ray, the same pre-ordering exists in sweden, no matter how insignificant the vehicle.