Volkswagen to crank up U.S. Passat production

[MyAvocation]

Well, this isn't a new article, but the below stats are worth sharing. Sounds like VWoA is treading lightly.

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20110801/CARNEWS/110809986

The automaker is looking for a sign from the market to boost production at its just-opened plant in Chattanooga, Tenn.

"We've already taken steps to decide how we will do it," Don Jackson, president of manufacturing at the Chattanooga operations, said after speaking to an industry conference in Traverse City, Mich., on Monday. "We've looked at the different shift models to do it. We have the planning all done. We just haven't pulled the trigger."

Jackson said that Chattanooga will build 45,000 to 50,000 Passats by year end as it ramps up.

Last year, U.S. consumers bought fewer than 13,000 Passats, compared with more than 311,000 Honda Accords and more than 327,000 Toyota Camrys.
​

On a side note, my Sales gal said target for 2012 Passat TDIs is 11% of volume. So if VW builds 45K Passats by New Years, 11% = 4,950 TDIs. Assuming 600 dealerships, that's 8.25 each. Guess I'll add one to my Christmas shopping list.

 

[rmeyer23]

Well, this isn't a new article, but the below stats are worth sharing. Sounds like VWoA is treading lightly.

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20110801/CARNEWS/110809986

The automaker is looking for a sign from the market to boost production at its just-opened plant in Chattanooga, Tenn.

"We've already taken steps to decide how we will do it," Don Jackson, president of manufacturing at the Chattanooga operations, said after speaking to an industry conference in Traverse City, Mich., on Monday. "We've looked at the different shift models to do it. We have the planning all done. We just haven't pulled the trigger."

Jackson said that Chattanooga will build 45,000 to 50,000 Passats by year end as it ramps up.

Last year, U.S. consumers bought fewer than 13,000 Passats, compared with more than 311,000 Honda Accords and more than 327,000 Toyota Camrys.
​

On a side note, my Sales gal said target for 2012 Passat TDIs is 11% of volume. So if VW builds 45K Passats by New Years, 11% = 4,950 TDIs. Assuming 600 dealerships, that's 8.25 each. Guess I'll add one to my Christmas shopping list.

Looking over at ASKAVWSALESGUY ( http://askavwsalesguy.com/ ) in a article dated Oct 11, 2011, he says the order for TDI SEL's are off the charts and that his dealership has 45 on order. This was not something that VW had planned for.

Has anyone seen any more articles that the Chat plant is going to make more diesels or that Germany is planning to ship more TDI engines as that seems to be the one holdup right now.

One dealer told me that the TDI is one the production line this month in Chattanooga. Looks to me like they would want to keep it going as long as possible. How healthy is it for a brand to say we have one demonstrator that we are not going to sell and if you order a car today, the wait is over 3 months?!

Ron M

 

[Delegator]

Not only has VWoA not planned for TDI demand, they can't respond to it. My DTI SEL Premium that I ordered in July won't be built until late November. Of course, they didn't tell me that until I escalated my information request to a regional case manager.

And even though they have shipped cars with my exact spec to other dealers, and have them sitting on the lot unsold (3+ hour drive from here, in a different state), they don't have any way to get the vehicles to the people who actually ordered them.

It's really been a disappointing and frustrating experience. Somehow I thought that ordering a car on the day they were available for test drive would put me at the beginning of the line, not the end. That wasn't the case, and because I need to purchase a car that will get here sooner than late December, I have to now start over with different vehicles.

 

[KITEWAGON]

Not only has VWoA not planned for TDI demand, they can't respond to it. My DTI SEL Premium that I ordered in July won't be built until late November. Of course, they didn't tell me that until I escalated my information request to a regional case manager.

And even though they have shipped cars with my exact spec to other dealers, and have them sitting on the lot unsold (3+ hour drive from here, in a different state), they don't have any way to get the vehicles to the people who actually ordered them.

It's really been a disappointing and frustrating experience. Somehow I thought that ordering a car on the day they were available for test drive would put me at the beginning of the line, not the end. That wasn't the case, and because I need to purchase a car that will get here sooner than late December, I have to now start over with different vehicles.

Contact Chris at Langhorne with your specs. He'll search the eastern seaboard for exactly what you want. Hop on southwest and fly from manchester to Philly (can be done for $75 or less if you buy 2 weeks in advance). Take a day off, fly down on an 8 or 9 am flight sign papers and drive 6 hours home. You can be home by 10pm with the car you want and you will still save $ vs. what you can get for a deal around here. Before you give up on your Passat at least give Chris a call.