TDIMeister
Phd of TDIClub Enthusiast, Moderator at Large
Five Minutes with Ulrich Hackenberg, VW Board Member for Product Development
I asked that same question to an auto industry analyst and the basic question is that there are not "enough" comsumers that would be willing to get into compact cars right now. An interesting point is that some car manufacturers are americanizing their vehicles to make the seats wider due to an increase in larger drivers. I would love to see the Polo here in the US market and if the Fiat becomes a successful selling automobile then VW should consider bringing it in. Fuel prices are a big factor and I think the $5 price will be the magical price to get drivers out of their big cars into smaller fuel efficient vehicles.Surprised that no one asked him about increased diesel applications. If VW already has 75% of the US diesel market, they obviously know how to expand into the other offerings, such as Tiguan or Eos (Golf Cabrio?). Was disappointed to see that they are not considering the Polo for the US market. With gas once again approaching $4.00 and rumors of $5.00, then the market is ripe for the subcompact, but if they are not ready now, they will miss the boat again.
If this is the conventional wisdom - how come Fiat/Chrysler, BMW (Mini), Toyota (Yaris), Suzuki, and any number of other manufacturers did not get the word?I asked that same question to an auto industry analyst and the basic question (answer?) is that there are not "enough" comsumers that would be willing to get into compact cars right now.
I heard the same thing about 3 dollar gas. And then I heard it about 4 dollar gas. Both of those passed with no change to the way american drivers think.Fuel prices are a big factor and I think the $5 price will be the magical price to get drivers out of their big cars into smaller fuel efficient vehicles.
Than to get mommy to change her mind about what makes her feel safe and powerful when driving.... Might be easier on the budget to continue to pump fuel down the drain, whatever the price, than to ...
No, they do not. After being emasculated twice in big wars, they have become a nation of followers instead of leaders - at least in this market.Hello VW marketing people, do you even have a clue?
The Fiat is much, much smaller than the Polo, which is about as large as an A3 Golf.I would love to see the Polo here in the US market and if the Fiat becomes a successful selling automobile then VW should consider bringing it in.
Does Suzuki sell their wildly successful Swift (direct Polo competitor) in the US? Apparently they DID get the word that Americans don't like subcompacts.If this is the conventional wisdom - how come Fiat/Chrysler, BMW (Mini), Toyota (Yaris), Suzuki, and any number of other manufacturers did not get the word?
Suzuki has tried but not been very successful in the US. Not sure if it was product offering or dealerships. Part of the problem here in Charlotte was location. They moved into a couple of old auto sales lots that not even the big three could keep open. At least one of them has closed and reopened four or five times in the last ten years.Does Suzuki sell their wildly successful Swift (direct Polo competitor) in the US? Apparently they DID get the word that Americans don't like subcompacts.
Or (c) Both of the above. Suzuki's legacy in this country, besides its motorcycles, is the Geo/Chevy Sprint that was GM's entry-level vehicle and gas-mileage champ for years. Lots of plastic, not lots of power (none by today's standards), weird rough three-cylinder engine, a tendency to get totaled on impact, ...Suzuki has tried but not been very successful in the US. Not sure if it was product offering or dealerships.
ROTFLOL Then mommy needs to do what my wife did, and ROLL her 17MPG SUV on the interstate at 70MPH. Yup, handled like a bread truck. To give them credit, the Michelin Cross-Terrain tires left some BEAUTIFUL tracks which lasted for months, it was the soft shoulder that actually rolled the 4Runner 1.5 times after several flat spins across three lanes of I-95.Than to get mommy to change her mind about what makes her feel safe and powerful when driving.