REPORT: New VW mid-size sedan to start at $20,000, arrive in 2012
As part of a far-reaching interview with Stefan Jacoby, Volkswagen's North American CEO, Automotive News has fleshed out some new details about the German automaker's forthcoming Chattanooga, Tennessee-built sedan, as well as the potential viability of the Polo subcompact in the States.
In the main, Jacoby allowed that the unnamed Chattanooga-built sedan will hit the market in the spring of 2012, with a targeted price tag of "around $20,000," and the car is tipped to rely on versions of the company's 2.0-liter and 2.5-liter engines that are already in production. Although the design has not yet been made public, Jacoby notes that the car was finalized over the last few weeks in Wolfsburg, and a rendering of the car (above) leaked out in February.
What else will be made in VW's new Tennessee plant? At the moment, there have been no firm decisions, but up for consideration, says Jacoby, are a compact SUV, a mid-size SUV, or something from "the Polo family."
About the latter – Jacoby says they have polled the company's dealership body in the States, and their response has been that the vehicle is not large enough to succeed in America. That said, VW appears to be considering a next-generation Polo sedan and/or a larger hatchback. While stopping short of confirming a model, VW's CEO did sound quite positive about the chances for a Polo when he said: "We are investigating what model we should start with and when we should start -- in 2011 or 2012."
[Source: Automotive News - subs. req.]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
suspekt 11:39AM (4/27/2009)
wow, a VW Interceptor a la NAIAS 2007
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James 1:36PM (4/27/2009)
"...and the car is tipped to rely on versions of the company's 2.0-liter and 2.5-liter engines that are already in production."
There was talk months ago that the USDM 2.5 ltr would be phased out..and in place would be the Twincharged 1.4 TSI. So what gives...
James 1:36PM (4/27/2009)
"...and the car is tipped to rely on versions of the company's 2.0-liter and 2.5-liter engines that are already in production."
There was talk months ago that the USDM 2.5 ltr would be phased out..and in place would be the Twincharged 1.4 TSI. So what gives...
James 1:36PM (4/27/2009)
"...and the car is tipped to rely on versions of the company's 2.0-liter and 2.5-liter engines that are already in production."
There was talk months ago that the USDM 2.5 ltr would be phased out..and in place would be the Twincharged 1.4 TSI. So what gives...
Taglane 11:40AM (4/27/2009)
Can it look like that for 20K? plz i want a VW Camaro.
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AMcA 8:17PM (4/27/2009)
At that price, it's going to have to be cheaped out in some crucial ways. Like, maybe, a kinda nasty interior or something like that. And simplified mechanicals.
This car is not going to be very much like the super-nice VWs we've gotten used to in the last decade or so.
It's going to hurt their reputation big-time, I predict.
Nosman 11:40AM (4/27/2009)
ummmm....can anyone say a 2010 camaro clone??LOL!!
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The J 11:47AM (4/27/2009)
I own a VW (an MKV R32 at that), but even I think it is bad when you have to clone a Chevy...
Oh well, if the Wrangler can sell as a 4-Door, then the Camaro can too...
Wait, maybe VW knows something we don't and a lot of 2010-2011 Camaro bodies will be coming up for sell soon for dirt cheap...
Nosman 12:50PM (4/27/2009)
ya i agree.lol
Rick 4:48PM (4/27/2009)
I seriously doubt the production version will look ANYTHING like a Camaro.
alexkaras1 11:44AM (4/27/2009)
the Volkswagen Challenger?
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bhtooefr 11:51AM (4/27/2009)
The thing is, VW's dealer network is retarded.
And they've proven it time and time again.
So, VW should really take what their own dealer network says with a grain of salt. (In fact, they should probably fire much of their dealer network.)
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zamafir 12:00PM (4/27/2009)
Not only VW's, Mercs kept the SMART out of the US for about half a decade. It seems dealer networks are a catch 22, especially in the case of VW.
geo.stewart 12:55PM (4/27/2009)
I think we all agree the dealer network rarely makes choices the enthusiast would make.
That being said, their job is to make money catering to the masses. HAving a Scirocco and a GTI is great for the enthusiast to pick from poor from a dealer perspective who has to increase his inventory levels for two 3-door hatchbacks.
Also, look at Pontiac's G8. LOTS of enthusiasts love the car, know about the car, rave about the car, wanted the car here; but their BEST month was 3000 units just now. they are obviously not making friends and influencing people. And thats with the fact that you can get one for the price of an Accord or Camry.
If I am running a business, I'm listening to the dealers. If I'm a car enthusiast with unlimited funds, I'm listening to my heart.
Farris 11:52AM (4/27/2009)
I realize that VW doesn't have a RWD car platform, but can this please PLEASE be rear wheel drive?
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Duke 3:47PM (4/27/2009)
I too would like a RWD car from them. You can do it VW!
Dave 11:57AM (4/27/2009)
Whenever a dealer says "Bring me more larger cars to sell" you have to KNOW they are only saying that because they make more money on the larger cars.
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ccweems 12:02PM (4/27/2009)
I'm sure Apple gets their best marketing intel by checking with Best Buy.
Did Toyota check with their dealer before introducing the Scion line? Did they check with them again when they screwed up the Xb?
They could import the Polo from Brazil like they did the previous Fox. At $10-13K it would sell. Lastly what did the dealers say about the Routan?
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zamafir 12:02PM (4/27/2009)
ummm... can you recognize it's a sketch. Not even a pre-production model or the production car? It wont look like the camaro.
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zamafir 12:03PM (4/27/2009)
@Nosman, still getting used to the need to hit reply multiple times to get replying to to show up.