VW plans to be No. 1 car seller in the world by 2018

With this news it looks like I'm going to UTI, 'cause thars gonna be plenty of work!

oldsaw wrote:

pete240z wrote: I read this in the Wall Street Journal. They said they want to sell: VW 800,000 cars + Audi 200,000 cars.

The projection is for "world-wide" sales, not just the US.

No, WSJ quoted it as 800,000 + 200,000 for the USA. Unless they got the facts wrong?

"To become the world's largest car maker by 2018, Mr. Winterkorn and his management team have set themselves a lofty goal of selling 800,000 VWs a year in the U.S. by then, and another 200,000 cars from its luxury moniker Audi. VW executives have said they aim to become profitable in the U.S. by 2012 or 2013, selling 400,000 VW-brand cars annually by then, after racking up losses in the U.S. of close to $1 billion in some recent years"

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703743504575493504267114766.html

integraguy wrote: What folks are forgetting is that VW has bought Suzuki... I don't believe VW-Audi REALLY expects to see a huge jump in sales in North America. Though if enough folks are DELUDED by the "bait and switch" VW is performing with their sub $17,000 Jetta.....who knows?

In the USA, at least, VW would be wise to re-badge Suzuki's and sell them as their own.

A better car for less money seems like a win, win.

I was saddenned to see the Jetta go down market. I think its a less handsome looking car this go around as well. I leased an 07 Jetta for 36 months. Despite a very few small issues, it really was a great driving car and I considered it near luxury in the appointments and ergonomics category. I didn't buy it at lease end but that was more due to personal philosophy than lackof faith in the car, plus I still drive my old battleaxe W123.

The strategy makes sense, as far as model market stratification goes. The bad side is of course message dilution.

Whereas VW was once the brand that "wanted drivers", they now only want customers or creditees. Whereas you could drive a VW and have some sense of driving a unique or upmarket car relative to price and size, now the models will likely be appropriately priced and marketed to a new market position they will truly occupy, and one occupied already by Kia, Hyundai and others.

I hope they don't destroy the GTI in the process. I thought the last iteration of the GTI was about nails.

I saw a newish Jetta wagon today; when did it become a minivan?

MitchellC wrote: I saw a newish Jetta wagon today; when did it become a minivan?

Around the same time minivans stopped being mini.

FYI, the Jetta wagons will remain based on the Golf Mk.V/VI chassis for the time being, since they are a niche product (albeit one that seems to be doing well enough for VW to keep selling in the States): http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/23/report-2011-volkswagen-jetta-sportwagen-wont-be-based-on-new-j/

This beigemobile is the new Jetta sedan for the US:

Like everyone else said...maybe it's time to become a certified VW tech. As Samir says it in Office Space "It would be nice to have that kind of job security Micheal!"

If VW wants to be the biggest Manufacturer in the world, they are already well on their way. They are selling in CHINA. That is where ALL the people live, and most of them don't have a car. Market potential at it's finest.

Of course China does not have the infrastructure to support everyone driving, but hey, that's not VW's problem.