Volkswagen’s on-again-off-again Blue Sport project appears to be back on uncertain ground as the automaker’s executives simply can’t formulate a viable business plan for the mid-engine sports car.
VW has completed the engineering of the Blue Sport, but has failed to come up with a compelling business case for the niche-market two door. As such, the project remains in limbo and faces the real possibility of being tossed in the bin.
VW is planning to boost its U.S. sales to 800,000 units by 2018, but apparently the Blue Sport isn’t considered to be a help to that cause – despite the fact that the United States is the world’s largest market for sports car.
“To get to 800,000 units, we don’t need to keep adding to our portfolio of models. We’re concentrating on our core models,” said VW of America boss Jonathan Browning.
Adding a version of the Blue Sport to the Audi lineup could help the sports car’s chances, but opposition from sister company Porsche could ultimately put the brakes on the entire project. Porsche feels that a new entry-level model could steal sales away from its Boxster model.
No word on a timeframe for VW’s decision on the project, but the Blue Sport’s production window is beginning to close.
References
1.’VW Blue Sport’s…’ view
