Filed under: Economy, Euro, Plants/Manufacturing, Volkswagen, FIAT
Volkswagen may bid on Yugo, um, we mean Zastava
Click above for more pics of the Zastava Skala 55
It was just the other day that we looked back at the automotive punchline that was the Yugo in America. In all actuality, though, the Serbian automaker Zastava that's currently for sale, has plenty to offer prospective buyers. This fact is evidenced by reports that Volkswagen is considering bidding on the ex-Yugoslavian company. Zastava is the only automaker based in Serbia, and has a number of factories and excess production capacity which could prove rather useful to companies such as Volkswagen, which is looking to expand their production capabilities in Europe.
Zastava currently produces a line of vehicles based on licensed Fiat architecture. The plant is currently producing about 15,000 units per year, but is capable of building as many as 60,000. At this time, we're not aware of any official offers being made, but we're sure that if Volkswagen is looking, others likely are as well.
[Source: B92, Carscoop]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
imoore 6:59PM (3/26/2008)
Should Volkswagen buy Zastave, the question to ask is whether VW will continue to let it live like Skoda, Seat, etc., or abandon the brand altogether. It would be nice to see Zastava continue, but I don't see VW allowing it to compete with Skoda.
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SPG 7:14PM (3/26/2008)
So we have Polo's with some sort of modern Yugo grille to look forward too?
Well, not we in North America.
Could be worse, they could be actual Yugo's.
P.S. The Yugo cabriolet was a neat car.
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DMC-12 7:29PM (3/26/2008)
Maybe VW/Porsche is looking to help raise its fuel economy average. Although we will probably never see a VW with great gas mileage in the US.
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Chewy 7:44PM (3/26/2008)
Will we get a Yugo 911?
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david 9:21PM (3/26/2008)
It will be called a Volugo. Or maybe Yugwagon.