Volkswagen mulling external sales channel for genre-bending GX3
Volkswagen's shocking GX3, the California penned roadster-cum-motorcycle that rocked the Los Angeles Auto Show is likely to shake up the North American car market like few vehicles have in recent years -- provided it's a success. Many other world markets have a goodly number of oddball, small volume vehicles like the GX3 -- Britain and Japan come immediately to mind. But in the U.S., unorthodox offerings have largely been confined to the margins of the market, fringe bets by fringe players. VW's GX3 has the potential to turn that convention on its head.
But if it sees production (as it looks as if it will), the automaker may pick an equally unconventional manner in which to launch the trick trike -- a "junior brand" legally separated from the parent company. According to Automobile Magazine, there are those within the VW fold who "... have concerns about handling, roadholding, and controlability and who question the appeal of the vehicle to U.S. buyers." This has a few around Autoblog Towers thinking that VW is fearful of America's reputation as a sue-happy, litigious people. Given the GX3's minimalist ethos (which brooms such items as air bags, a windshield or electronic aids), this could be a legitimate worry, even if the GX3 is legally classified as a motorcycle. Rumored suspension and steering fiddling by Lotus may go a long way towards convincing sportscar and bike buffs, but the British legend's involvement is unlikely to sway the company's hardnosed legal teams.
If the GX3 is green-lighted, Volkswagen sees the potential for 10,000 units/year and could have examples in dealerships late next year. Of course, it remains to be seen whose flag is flying out front.
Our thoughts? Provided the GX3 is as good as it has the potential to be, our advice to Bernhard's boys is: "If you build it, they will come."
[Source: Automobile Magazine; Volkswagen]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Michael Karesh 1:04PM (5/03/2006)
I'd love to drive one. But price and insurance costs would determine whether I could ever actually buy one.
If they could keep it under $20,000 sales could be quite good. But that's probably unrealistic.
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Mark 1:15PM (5/03/2006)
I'd still rather just buy another motorcycle.
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Brian 1:18PM (5/03/2006)
I'd drive one in a heartbeat, but I might like a windshield. I just hate "helmet hair," the sole bummer of riding a motorcycle.
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Jer 1:18PM (5/03/2006)
Holy crap. Autocross what?
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It'll have to be cheap 1:25PM (5/03/2006)
In the end buyers will ask themselves if they'd rather have pure toy for $15K-$20K or a full-featured convertible (MX-5, Solstice) for just a few thousand more. For $20K I'd likely pick the MX-5, but at $12K-$15K this makes more sense. It's actually competition for cruiser/sportbike market. Only a motorcycle fan would dare commute in a car like this.
The finances of buying a toy are rather like the Jeep vs. ATV or power boat vs. personal watercraft decision. The smaller versions seem to do well because they undercut the price of the larger ones by at least 50%.
[Also, the market is limited because those with the money are likely to pick a 4 wheeled Lotus Elise, Caterham 7, or Ariel Atom over this.]
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Dave 1:40PM (5/03/2006)
Oh the irony of timing. Earlier it was pointed out that VW would be switching away from their current line of advertising; (the one with all the distracted drivers crashing). I bet they're praying now that people forget those commercials before this vehicle comes out. The parody potential is huge.
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josh 1:47PM (5/03/2006)
#6, you aren't likely to see this "thing" on TV at all...
How many Lotus commercials do you see??
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Wade 1:49PM (5/03/2006)
VW is onto something with this concept. Kinda like the original beetle. Barebones, economical transport (except with high performance this time).
I need a vehicle like this to get the kids to school on my way to work. Maybe I can squeeze a car seat in the luggage compartment and make it a 3 seater? Or better yet...a slight redesign to put the driver center forward and two jump seats, one to each side and slightly behind the driver, like in the McLaren F1 street car. Seems like a lot of space is wasted by placing just two seats immediately adjacent to each other.
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SoloTwo 1:59PM (5/03/2006)
If they sell them in Wisconsin I WILL BUY ONE, without a question. I have my luxury car, my work car, now I just need the autocross and track day, and all around shocker type of car to own. :) Just imagine pulling up at a gas station. ;)
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gbh 2:00PM (5/03/2006)
I agree, you won't need many commercials to sell this.
Tune it to around 250 HP and go crank out formula car laps at the track.
Those who "get it" already know that it's all about power-to-weight. It'll be so much fun listening to the excuses from the Z06 guys who just turned in a 5 second slower lap.
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Dr. Woo 2:29PM (5/03/2006)
IIRC, they were talking about a $14k price point.
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Lawrence Phoenix 2:42PM (5/03/2006)
Short of duct tapeing a JATO bottle to a BigWheel and sending it down I-95 I can't think of a more insane vehicle for the street. This from a Guy who owned a Texas sreetlegal Lotus 11 Westfield for a couple of years. When the highest point on the car is 3 foot tall and your combing your hair in a Escalade's hubcap at stoplights don't plan on ANYONE seeing you and if they do it's worse..They head right for you...
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JS 2:47PM (5/03/2006)
Since a lotus is still a smidge outside my price range for a second car this is the perfect substitute until i hit it big!
Seriously though, tuning by Lotus would go along way in gaining cred. among the performance minded folk. I have to also agree with gbh in saying that this is exactly like the Elise...fun, exciting, quick, eye catching, light on the gas and fun (yes, double fun) and I bet more people will go for this if they were ever on the fence about a motorcycle and wife/monetary constraints prohibited their dream cycle from turning into reality. Plus you dont need a special license! Sign me up VW.....errrrr....whoever "makes" this.
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Peter 2:49PM (5/03/2006)
I think the size of the market for this thing. Will be a subset of the size of the motorcycle market.
I would much rather have something like a Carver that combines the fun of bike with the practicality of a car.
This seems to combine the practicality of a bike, with the fun of a car.
Carver: You can actually buy, but they are expensive.
http://www.carver-europe.com/
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Lawrence Phoenix 2:59PM (5/03/2006)
Short of duct taping a JATO bottle to a Big Wheel and heading it down I-95 I can't think of a more insane vehicle. (This from a Guy who drove a three foot tall Lotus 11 Westfield in Dallas traffic for two years)
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Jon Lind 3:08PM (5/03/2006)
Why not sell it at Lotus dealerships with a Lotus badge?
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gbh 3:12PM (5/03/2006)
Peter,
You may wish to do more research on the Carver.
TTW's (Tilting Three Wheelers) are able to generate incredible amounts of g-force when designed and set-up correctly. The Carver is simply not. If you dig a bit, and find people who have driven them - well, let us just say the product does not live up to the packaging.
Great example of lotsa money thrown at a flawed idea that looks great if you don't understand that it just can't work like that.
Either of MB's prototype camber cars are a much more functional examples of how cambering has to be done in order to actually do something other than look "cool".
There's plenty of other tilters out there. Seek and ye shall find...
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WRCFan 3:25PM (5/03/2006)
Here are the most reliable specs to date:
Weight: 1255 lbs. (give or take +/- 10 lbs.)
1.6L four
0-60: Under 5.7secs.
Top speed: 125mph
Economy: 40+mpg (estimated)
Official price target is: $17K
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RacetrackOwner 3:41PM (5/03/2006)
LOL, looking at those specs... so much for GBH's Z06-bashing fantasies. Not bad for $17K though. I'd still prefer to drop ~$50K on a 300HP Atom though, and have a lot more fun at the track, thanks.
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JJ 4:20PM (5/03/2006)
man i think it would be scary to be driving one of these things in normal traffic... yer just asking to get hit by an SUV... although it would be fun to zip around in... but still i'd rather have a motorcycle, but this vehicle is pretty cool looking i must admit.. i'd have to see one in person before i pass final judgement though
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