VW targeting a 5 percent jump in U.S. sales this year thanks to four new models
05/27/2008, 2:21 PM
By Drew Johnson
The U.S. auto market may be in the midst of a decline, but Volkswagen feels that it can boost its U.S. sales by 5 percent this year. The German automaker is hoping the launch of four new products this year will help it reach its sales goal for 2008.
But a 5 percent increase won’t be easy, even with four new models. Through the first four months of the year, VW has sold 69,970 vehicles in the U.S. — a 0.8 percent increase over the same period last year, according to Automotive News. That means that VW will have to record 162,878 sales during the remainder of 2008, a 6.8 percent increase in business compared to the last eight months of 2007.
While most automakers are relying on heavy incentives to boost 2008 sales, VW will rely on its brand image to meet its 2008 sales goal. “Instead of discounting the product, we add value,” Toscan Bennett, vice president of product marketing and strategy for Volkswagen Group of America Inc., told Automotive News. “We want to sell the car, the brand and aspiration of driving a Volkswagen.”
VW will launch its Tiguan compact SUV this month, followed by the Jetta wagon in July, Routan minivan in September and CC sedan in October. VW will also launch a 50-state legal diesel Jetta in August.
Volkswagen is targeting 800,000 U.S. sales annually by 2018 — which will be aided by a soon-to-be-announced U.S. factory — but the automaker’s U.S. sales have been under 300,000 units a year since 2003.



05/27, 2:25 PM
posted by:
foster1
4 new modles hu
05/27, 2:27 PM
posted by:
foster1
Four New Models hu, My bad
05/27, 2:32 PM
posted by:
Need4SSpeed
I really like the looks of the Tiguan, and for a vehicle in its class it seems to get decent gas mileage. If I was looking for a compact SUV, I’d probably get the Tiguan.
05/27, 2:32 PM
posted by:
mcdbrendan
Many new models to choose from, but will they be enough? I don’t think so. The Routan is a mistake in my opinion, while the Tiguan and CC are awesome cars, but don’t have enough to offer when compared to their competition. Most promise is shown in the TDI Jetta, but with diesel at $4.60 a gallon (estimated, not researched,) we will see how it goes.
05/27, 2:34 PM
posted by:
RaineMan
Well… 3 new models.
The mini-van is just a rebadged Chrysler. Looks like the Germans just can’t keep their hands out of that company.
05/27, 2:40 PM
posted by:
HemiRoadRunner
Wow!!! 4 new peices of $H!T to choose from! Which turd do I want? The diarehea, the undigested corn turd, the held it all day gargantuous turd, or the it was really just a fart turd?
05/27, 3:00 PM
posted by:
xyunya
Well I hope VW is accurate in its own estimates and goals. I am sure in the past 20 years they predicted accurately to loose whatever share of the market they had.
05/27, 3:01 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
So Honda sells almost 6 times as many vehicles as VW in the US. Huh, who would have thunk that. I suppose that shocks me because at least here in Vancouver I’d swear it’s about 2-1 in Honda’s favor at best. In fact I know 2 people in the last year who traded their American Iron for VWs, and another who defected from Acura to VW. Then again- and somebody correct me if I’m wrong- but I’m not sure if we get any of our VWs from Mexico.
05/27, 3:26 PM
posted by:
mayer_ray_nagin
The CC will barely sell.
Diesel is so high the Jetta diesel wont move, and will just shift customers who’d get a gas Jetta.
The Jetta wagon is ugly as hell.
The Routan? Gimme a break.
The Tiguan will sell okay, but I’d take the CRV or Rav4 any day.
.
VW needs to add quality before it adds “value.” No one wants their crap or aspires to drive them.
05/27, 3:34 PM
posted by:
xyunya
johnnycanuck, I am pretty sure that Jetta, Golf/Rabbit come entirely form Mexico. In one of attempt of mine to purchase VW (momentary lapse of insanity) I was told by salesman not to purchase anything with VWII or VWIII in the VIN, those are Mexicans. And he wasn’t shy about it. Almost everything coming from South of the border is of horrid quality. WV produces much better quality in Germany, but JDPower ranks WV very low among European manufacturers. Based on what I recall, all Passats are made in Germany.
It was one of those injustices that Tiger and Leopard tanks were build in Germany and not Mexico: WWII would not last that long.
05/27, 3:38 PM
posted by:
xyunya
mayer_ray_nagin, Tiguan starts at 27K. It is much higher then CR-V and even RAV-4 limited. Mileage is worse on premium gas and there is no reliability record (new model). I doubt that it will sell in huge quantities. Of course if they sell 10,000 copies it is 10,000% improvement because vehicle did not exist last year. Statistically it will be success, practically it is wasted effort.
05/27, 3:41 PM
posted by:
mayer_ray_nagin
xyunya – stateside the Tiguan starts at $22.5k. CRV territory.
http://www.leftlanenews.com/volkswagen-tiguan.html
05/27, 3:47 PM
posted by:
howsmydriving
VW’s new offerings all suck.
05/27, 3:50 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
xyunya: the one I mentioned who went from an Acura (’02 RL) to a new DSG GTI made a point of asking and was assured his car came from Germany. I’ll make a point of checking his VIN next time I’m over there. Covert mission, of course. If he’s just laid out 40k cdn for a glorified Mexican Rabbit then further planning will be required as to the least diplomatic way to disclose this information.
05/27, 4:06 PM
posted by:
xyunya
GTI maybe made in Germany, because I don’t know if it’s economical to send few transmissions across the pond to assemble. There is training involved, so maybe your co-worker GTI is a true nazi not a tortilla one. VIN you can see from the outside of the car through the windshield. Although, putting on glasses to look around the car can be conspicuous
.
05/27, 4:22 PM
posted by:
jsabbagh
If Volkswagen wants to improve sales they should send over the Scirocco. I have had two VW’s but the design is old. My GTI is
up in August and I would have traded up to the Scirocco.
05/27, 4:27 PM
posted by:
Get Real
The new ‘bug’ commercials are terrible.
Thick German accents don’t sell cars.
05/27, 4:48 PM
posted by:
LJ
If they’re hoping for big sales due to the new TDI(diesel)Jetta(09 model)… and the MPG is what we read about on here a week ago.. No. 40 hwy, 29 city, for the automatic clean diesel, and 41 hwy/30 city for the manual, after VW said’ 50-60MPG” at various times, in the past year?
Ummmmm.No.
They had better hope that when sites like Motorweek,Edmunds, etc, get long term testers, that the MPG climbs to , at least, 50 MPG hwy….or that 40 MPG for 20K(to start, said my local VW dealership)….NO. Civic almost gets 40 MPG for 17K(or so, for mid-range car, runs on cheaper gasoline vs diesel).
05/27, 4:50 PM
posted by:
LJ
jsabbagh, I agree… and add the clean diesel from the Jetta… a 40 MPG sporty car might be ok.
05/27, 4:50 PM
posted by:
LJ
40 mpg sedan that promised 50-60, that’s not good, though.
05/27, 5:34 PM
posted by:
NoNameDenton1
LJ, the old Jetta diesel had EPA numbers in the 30’s and most drivers said they got into the 40’s, close to 50, so never trust EPA numbers. The Jetta diesel will move as well as the old one, maybe a bit better, I just wish VW was not waffling on the Tiguan diesel.
05/27, 5:36 PM
posted by:
brentray
So VW’s targeting 800,000 units in the U.S. by 2018. Currently, they have 7 individual models (soon to be 9 – Routan & Tiguan).
Isn’t it sad that Toyota already sells 800,000 units per year… with TWO MODELS? Last year, Camry and Corolla sold a combined 844,498 units.
Maybe VW should concentrate on making better products, rather than more of them.
05/27, 6:17 PM
posted by:
NoNameDenton1
brentray, that is why they will start building more vehicles in the USA designed for the USA and to help with service issues as well.
05/27, 9:13 PM
posted by:
autonut
All right, I am almost bold, but I target 80% folicule improvement by 2012. Now my plans even more realistic then VW