Comments on: VW to produce company’s first-ever motorcycle

By: A4

A4 — Fri, 16 May 2008 11:44:14 +0000

No, sigmahyperion, VW canned the GX3 because of liability issues that could take place, not because of marketing issues.

By: zoomzoomr

zoomzoomr — Fri, 16 May 2008 04:13:00 +0000

Hey VW.. how about building some economy cars for the US market that have something more economical and efficient than 5-cylinders or turbo fours.. and pricing them comparably to their competition.. then you wouldn’t have to worry about expanding into motorcycles to build profits.

By: SeaLion

SeaLion — Thu, 15 May 2008 17:26:32 +0000

In Europe you have to have a car licence to drive a 3-wheel (or 4-wheel) motorcycle. But the GX-3 have to slightly redesigned to be legal in Europe, a central light in the front is not allowed at 3-wheel motorcycles.

By: SigmaHyperion

SigmaHyperion — Thu, 15 May 2008 15:24:56 +0000

That picture is actually of a Motorcycle, Jon.

That was the main problem that VW had with the GX-3. They were seriously considering producing it, but it turns out that, at least in the US, it would have to be classified as a Motorcycle. And VW had no means of realistically marketing and selling a “motorcycle”. It’s just a lot harder thing to do — primarily because you can’t even really show the thing to anyone that doesn’t have a motorcycle license, which GREATLY diminishes the market you can sell to. VW just couldn’t justify producing it in the quantities it needed to with the limited market it would have here.

This deal with KTM can be construed as a strong indication that VW has decided to go ahead with the plans to produce the GX-3, but just to outsource production. Marketing will still be a problem, but if they can hit a good price point there’s a market for a vehicle like that.

By: Jon Luc

Jon Luc — Thu, 15 May 2008 14:23:57 +0000

That’s not a motorcycle. That’s a car.

By: xyunya

xyunya — Thu, 15 May 2008 13:15:47 +0000

It does make a perfect sense. Audi makes cars much better then VW and in US they come with same internals. Perhaps VW will drop out of car business altogether and will build motorcycles, bicycles and other divisions will build cars that slightly reliable. The wrinkle on this theory that Audi plans to build vehicles in Mexico, so maybe that brand will have to build motorcycles as well.

By: CleanGTO

CleanGTO — Thu, 15 May 2008 13:09:47 +0000

Yeah why not. I’m predicting there will be a subculture around VW motorcycles. I’ll be anxious to see the styling and what actually sets it apart.

By: JohnnyBlazE

JohnnyBlazE — Thu, 15 May 2008 11:37:34 +0000

Why not…

BTW Suzuki I prefer their bikes to their cars and would rather they were known for them… had a sweet lil GSX R 750 out with us last night on a run and man was it nice… owner had balls the size of watermelons to do what he did though; we were in 300bhp+ Impreza STis and such.