Filed under: Convertibles, Plants/Manufacturing, Volkswagen
VW Golf Cabrio returning in 2010, but Karmann won't build it
VW Karmann Polo Cabrio: click to view in hi-res
Emerging reports suggest that the next-generation Volkswagen Golf (known in the United States as the Rabbit) will spawn a convertible version, however the German automaker won't be outsourcing its production to Karmann. The German coachbuilder has built every previous Golf Cabrio, but like many of its Italian counterparts, Karmann has been losing contracts left, right and center. The Chrysler Crossfire is out of production, Audi won't be turning to Karmann for the new A4 convertible, neither will Mercedes for the CLK cabrio. With the new Golf set to debut in Europe early next year, the cabrio is expected to follow a year later. Whether the convertible will make it Stateside remains to be seen, but CAR predicts that the Mk2 Eos will grow in size, be rebadged as the Passat Convertible and will retain its folding hard-top to allow the soft-top Golf to slot in below it.
[Source: CAR]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ugg.tryptophan 2:00PM (5/23/2008)
NSFW
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h8rain 2:09PM (5/23/2008)
Will that model comes with a leaky top standard?
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bmwrjunk 9:24PM (5/24/2008)
Im sorry queen latifahz you've mistaken this vw article with the new one series. Vw quality is better than even most luxury automakers especially jaguar bmw and saab so please quite trying to pretend we care. Bmw suck their interiors are lower than Toyota and the fit and finish is third world and you worry about vw. move on please thanks a million
British_Rover 2:16PM (5/23/2008)
I hope they don't rename the EOS as it is one of the few cars left with a name that actually fits the car.
Eos was the Greek god of the dawn who opened the gates for Helios her brother the sun god. A very apt name for a car with a folding multi-position retractable hard top.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eos
As the dawn goddess, Eos with "rosy fingers" opened the gates of heaven[2] so that Helios could ride his chariot across the sky every day. In Homer (Iliad viii.1; xxiv.695), her saffron-colored robe is embroidered or woven with flowers (Odyssey vi:48 etc); rosy-fingered and with golden arms, she is pictured on Attic vases as a supernaturally beautiful woman, crowned with a tiara or diadem and with the large white-feathered wings of a bird.
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asurroca 9:52PM (5/25/2008)
Yeah, I definitely like the Eos name, and think calling the Mk2 Eos the Passat Coupe would be a shame. There's hope for the name, though: The Passat-based quasi-coupe is getting the Passat CC name outside the US, but just CC in the US, so I could see the Eos being called the Passat Coupe abroad and retaining the Eos name in the US. Perhaps the Passat name carries more weight abroad?
RIFRAF 2:29PM (5/23/2008)
So, what's the word with Karmann? Why is it losing so much business and by the looks of it, cred?
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Farris 2:41PM (5/23/2008)
I really really miss my 93 Cabriolet. Really. The only problem I had with it was a broken clutch cable.
It's too bad Karmann won't be getting "the contract" for the Cabby Rabbit again. They really knew their stuff.
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geo.stewart 2:56PM (5/23/2008)
yes, the EOS will grow because all we need is for the cars to continue to grow in size....
out of touch, much?
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asurroca 9:32PM (5/25/2008)
On the contrary, growing the second-gen Eos while bringing back a Golf-based Cabrio makes sense. Toyota's got a convertible Camry, and Volkswagen has made it clear that they want to target them, so a convertible Passat fits, and bringing back a small convertible that is not as niche as the New Beetle version definitely makes sense.
Mi key 3:28PM (5/23/2008)
I'm guessing the reason Karmann as well as other Italian counterparts aren't getting these contracts is due to Corporate philosophy of keeping cost down and doing the projects as much in house as possible. I wish VW would come out with the Polo Cabrio. That's a real nice ride.
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Rick 4:38PM (5/23/2008)
Exactly. Why have an 'outside' coachbuilder do it if you can save money and have the internal design department do it. Yes, it's bland and corporate, but I think the passion is gone from most car companies. Too many corporate MBA types dictating the bottom line.
SPG 3:51PM (5/23/2008)
Sweet! I love it.
I have always loved the Rabbit/Cabrio.
Every one of them from the original on Remmington Steele to the very last of them from just a few years ago.
The New Beetle cabriolet is nice, just not for me.
The EOS is really nice, but it's not the good ol Cabrio of yore.
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Dave M. 12:39AM (5/24/2008)
Good move. Whilst convertible shopping, the EOS never did it for me. Too narrow, too awkward 3/4 quarter panel area because of the folding top. A regular convertible top is just fine, thanks.
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Landy 1:37AM (5/24/2008)
It was cost related, when Ford switched from Karmann to Pininfarina to build the Focus CC. It's such a shame that a company with a brilliant expertise like Karmann is going down now. I know the guys from Karman personally from the time they used to build the Escort Cabriolet for Ford of Europe. They were always aiming for perfection.
The big difference between a Karman and a Pinin Cabrio is as easy as it can get:
Karmann = waterproof - nearly no customer complains.
Pininfarina = not waterproof- Ford has to rework nearly every Focus CC!
The cost that are saved by switching to Pinin are washed away twice by the resulting warranty cost...
VW has the same terror with it's EOS due to an identical roof concept developed by Pininfarina & Webasto.
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Jim Taylor 3:13AM (5/24/2008)
I'm a big Karmann fan too being a VW Corrado owner (and enthusiast) as that is where the Corrado was built.
It's a sorry state of affairs for Karmann at the moment - I heard through friends, who know people in Karmann, that the actual main plant in Osnabruck is close to completely shutting down and being sold. Basically unless they get orders for more cars in the next month or so, it's curtains for their home factory as they can't afford to keep it open. Karmann will live on of course, but not at its home of Osnabruck. Which is a disaster IMHO :(
I believe there are two reasons for the mass desertion of Karmann..
It hurts really that VW can't throw Karmann a lifeline and help them keep Osnabruck running - all the history they have together, and all the products they've made..
Part of the reason why I loathe the new Scirocco is that it has nothing to do with Karmann nor will it be built by Karmann, as the original Scirocco (and Corrado) was.
Business is business but come on VW!
asurroca 10:06PM (5/25/2008)
@Jim Taylor:
You know, if Karmann is so close to going under, they could be a cheap acquisition; it would be pretty awesome if Volkswagen bought them outright and kept the Karmann-based Cabrio alive. ;)
jason 11:23AM (6/10/2009)
I worked at Karmann for the past 4 years and you couldnt be more wrong. Karmann is ran by a bunch of German idiots. I watched the bad management of money for the past 4 years and thats why they are ready to close. The US Plymouth Plant has laid off everyone that is not German at this point so its only a matter of months before they are gone. Cant wait! Quality is bad, managment is bad and human resources is the worst I have ever seen. They spent millions on the Germans to stay in the US and work at the Plymouth plant which was a huge waste of money. They were over paid, not smart, not good workers and had bad ideas. They paid them double of the americans, bought a apartment complex for them to live for free, paid for them to travel back to Germany 5 times a year, gave them cars, gave them 12 weeks of vacation paid a year. Thats why they are going under. Trust me it will not be long now!! Cant wait till they all get sent home to there horrible country. They have no buisness sense and only build garbage!