U.S. Volkswagen chief Stefan Jacoby talks strategy - Detroit News - Page 2

German_1er_diesel · August 14th, 2009, 04:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by chewy

The Tiguan is doing ok even with its extremely high pricing structure.

What's intersting is that the Tiguan is priced lower than the RAV4 in Europe. Toyota just lowered the RAV4's price in order to gain back some marketshare.

(Sales numbers for Germany, July 2009: Tiguan: 2606 RAV4: No clue, because it's not selling well enough to be in the Top 100 list. #100 is the Cayenne with 665)

Trooper81 · August 14th, 2009, 05:24

Almost sounds like they're hinting at an extended wheelbase tiguan. Hopefully that'll have the Diesel in it. I know Autobild had an article in it mentioning that an extended wheelbase was a near done deal and it was slotted for (late?)2010 US release. That built in the US, with TDI could be a winner.

German_1er_diesel · August 14th, 2009, 05:36

Couldn't they just put a tiguanish front end on a Touran, increase the ride height a bit and have something interesting?

They do have this "CrossTouran" with a small lift and "tough" styling elements.

mavapa · August 14th, 2009, 10:26

He thinks the Tiguan sold well? I have to call BS on that. According to Autonews, they sold less than 9,000 units in their first year, less than half what they expected (hoped). I personally am surprised they sold that many, based on how many I have seen in Huntsville, Alabama, a city with a strong German heritage and a relatively large number of VWs on the streets. I have seen two.

I also have to agree that VW is clueless. Clue-less. They see Japanese and Korean (Korean!) car makers outselling them and they can't figure out how to sell in this country? Here's a suggestion. Go to the local Honda, Toyota or Kia dealer and look at what they sell. Then make cars to match that lineup. And don't bring the Phaeton back, unless you want to use them for doorstops at the dealerships. That's assuming they can keep the doors open.

Idiots.

chewy · August 14th, 2009, 13:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by mavapa

He thinks the Tiguan sold well? I have to call BS on that. According to Autonews, they sold less than 9,000 units in their first year, less than half what they expected (hoped). I personally am surprised they sold that many, based on how many I have seen in Huntsville, Alabama, a city with a strong German heritage and a relatively large number of VWs on the streets. I have seen two.

I also have to agree that VW is clueless. Clue-less. They see Japanese and Korean (Korean!) car makers outselling them and they can't figure out how to sell in this country? Here's a suggestion. Go to the local Honda, Toyota or Kia dealer and look at what they sell. Then make cars to match that lineup. And don't bring the Phaeton back, unless you want to use them for doorstops at the dealerships. That's assuming they can keep the doors open.

Idiots.

This is exactly what they are doing. The reason why VW are replacing the Passat with the NMS. Because it's going to match the Honda/Toyota/other's cars a lot better than the Passat.

The Tiguan is ridiculously expensive in most of its configurations, hence it's not doing huge numbers. And that's what Jacoby said.

Oberkanone · August 14th, 2009, 14:46

Tiguan sold well compared to the Routan.

aja8888 · August 14th, 2009, 15:12

I asked two of my neighbors (30's males with jobs and families) if they had seen the Tiguan. They never heard of it. I asked them if they knew what a Rav4 and a CR-V is. They said yes, and knew people that had them.

I didn't bother to ask if they knew what a Routan is, but I summize they would think it is a some other way to fix sausage or crawfish...

mavapa · August 14th, 2009, 19:30

"The Tiguan (compact SUV) has been very well received, but it's imported out of Europe so we can't realize the volumes that we could get out of that segment." (So they didn't see that one coming?)

I guess in VW speak "well received" does not mean "sells well." Maybe that's part of the problem.

If VW is planning to match the Honda/Toyota lineup, what does the Phaeton correspond to?

I'm sorry, but every time I read something VW reps say about marketing in the US, all I can think is, "Idiots." Or, to be a little kinder, "clueless."

Drivbiwire · August 14th, 2009, 20:09

They need an extended (longer) wheel base Passat (Sedan and Wagon) with a 2L TDI and Urea fed SCR to meet emissions. The longer wheel base can hide the urea tank as well as permit seating 4 real sized adults and bags in the trunk.

If you have two kids and a spouse VW does not have anything that can compete with Honda or other German cars with much higher price tags...Ask me why I no longer own a VW.

DieselOx · August 14th, 2009, 22:53

Heck, Id take a plain touran with a diesel... I don 't give a rats a$$ what it looks like, I just need the utility (remember the microvan?).

Quote:

Originally Posted by German_1er_diesel

Couldn't they just put a tiguanish front end on a Touran, increase the ride height a bit and have something interesting?

They do have this "CrossTouran" with a small lift and "tough" styling elements.

chewy · August 14th, 2009, 23:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drivbiwire

They need an extended (longer) wheel base Passat (Sedan and Wagon) with a 2L TDI and Urea fed SCR to meet emissions. The longer wheel base can hide the urea tank as well as permit seating 4 real sized adults and bags in the trunk.

If you have two kids and a spouse VW does not have anything that can compete with Honda or other German cars with much higher price tags...Ask me why I no longer own a VW.

Funny how that exact vehicle will be the first one built in the new US plant.

DPM · August 15th, 2009, 01:04

why would you need a car bigger than a Passat just because you have two kids?

TDIMeister · August 15th, 2009, 01:11

You're asking this question to a country in which many justify a 3/4 ton truck for the occasional trip to a home improvement supply store and small cars (Golf class!) are widely seen as dangerous.

DPM · August 15th, 2009, 03:05

good point.

aja8888 · August 15th, 2009, 07:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by DPM

why would you need a car bigger than a Passat just because you have two kids?

Good question: On a recent driving trip to Wisconsin from Texas, we had three adults and one 15 year old teenager in the Passat wagon along with enough luggage and extra stuff for a month in Paris and a week in London. We had no comfort or lack of room issues in 3,100 miles. The Passat can easily handle four full size people for a driving trip. On our trip, the passengers were all females too!