Volkswagen leads European market in 2005
Volkswagen announced today that it has reclaimed the sales lead in the European market, with over 1.4 million
vehicles sold through November. VW's European market share is now 11.1 percent. The company's 2005 performance has been driven by its Golf model, which accounted for more than a third of VW's sales. Volkswagen Chairman Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard credited the company's strong performance to its wide range of new and updated models, led by the Golf Plus (pictured). Bernhard promises "more surprises" for 2006, and a strong focus on the high-volume segment of the market.
[Source: Volkswagen]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Nick 7:58PM (12/23/2005)
Amazing how different the Volkswagen rep is in the US vs in Europe. Was reading Car the other day and one of the pluses they listed for the new Golf was "Volkswagen build quality." I think they were being serious, too. What is up with that? How long before their crappy quality bites them in the butt in Europe as well?
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bhtooefr 8:24PM (12/23/2005)
When they start selling Mexican-made cars in Europe.
However, I've heard that they're TRYING to get their Puebla plant's quality to the same standard as the Wolfsburg plant, and fix their rep here in the US...
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Richard Warren 9:57PM (12/23/2005)
Actually the Puebla plant already ships overseas, the Beetle and Jetta, Bora.
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no Mexico required... 10:14PM (12/23/2005)
Most of VW's quality problems come from the design and the parts used, not the assembly.
Additionally, I speak as an Audi owner. My Audi was made in Germany. It's a mechanical disaster. I speak with a coworker almost daily about what's going wrong with our cars. (coworker has S4, I have A6 2.7T)
Last one was two days ago:
coworker (CW): Well, my engine is leaking coolant again. Very disappointed.
me: Yeah, well, I have most of a bottle of coolant if you want it. Never got mine to stop leaking.
CW: I'm hoping it's just a loose hose or clamp.
me: Yeah, that'd be nice. Is it leaking from in front of the driver's side front wheel?
CW: Yeah.
me: Yep, same place mine's been leaking from for 18 months. Tell me what it is if they find it.
I spent $2000 this year trying to get my car to stop leaking coolant. The dealer ripped me off for two water pumps (did you know Audis have two water pumps?). No dice. Still leaks. Coolant is cheaper than repairs, I should have done that in the first place. And maybe I'm nuts for going to the dealer, but the local Audi specialist independent places are clip joints too. I priced some similar repairs, the independent places were about 80% the price of the dealer.
See link:
http://www.autoblog.com/2005/08/18/doug-flint-takes-on-vw-quality/
Make sure to check the awesome line: "Sooner or later the customer will meet a Toyota owner and discover this is not normal."
I mean, Toyota owners don't commiserate to each other how their 6 year old cars are all breaking in exactly the same way.
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Nick 10:43PM (12/23/2005)
I feel for you. Maybe I shouln't torpedo my 1993 Inifiniti G20 for costing $1200 on brakes and a starters so far this year. Yikes, your story is painful. I looked at a 2002 BMW 325i coupe while I was mulling getting out of the Infiniti, but I wondered if my G20 might still be the more reliable one.
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Lloyd 2:06AM (12/24/2005)
Its good to hear that VW leads the European market, I hope they'll gain back their leadership in China. I also hope that VWs high volume segment made in their China plants would be exported to the Philippines because VW brand is dying in this country, if not for the remaining dilapidated air-cooled VWs here, children in this country wouldn't even know of VWs existence, sad thing is, even these air-cooled engines are gradually diminishing in numbers and being cut to pieces and melted down so that its metal body would be exported to China and be recycled there. I think VW should also consider other markets in Asia to strengthen their brand in this side of the world.
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Opposite Lock 2:56AM (12/24/2005)
Uhh, build quality and reliability are not the same thing. They may sound similar, but they really aren't. Build quality is things like panel fit, interior fit and finish, material texture, damping of controls, attention to detail, quality of material, the noise the door makes when you close it, etc...
I have never been in a car with better build quality under 50k than a jetta. (911 was better)
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Nick 3:45AM (12/24/2005)
Too bad the reliability is craptastic!
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stewie's sexy parties 1:27PM (12/24/2005)
vw's reliability reputation is far ahead of most european makers like fiat, peugeot, alfa romeo, mercedes, etc. while their >QUALITY< is the best in the world. that is why they are leaders in europe.
only people that drive hondas & toyotas in europe are 90 year olds living in retirement homes, because while they may have a good reliability 'perception', cars are not kitchen appliances like most americans seem to think they are.
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