Play it again Sam...
VW might be once again considering a pickup truck for the US market. A few years back, before the Touareg debuted, VW showed the concept truck showed above. However, somewhere along the way they got cold feet and backed off the idea...
Before the Touareg-based pickup concept, VW actually produced a US-built Rabbit pickup back in the early '80s. This little bugger could be had in either gas or diesel flavor. In any event, the idea of a new VW pickup may be back on the table again. So what gives?
As has been reported VW is about to move their US corporate headquarters from Detroit to Northern Virginia somewhere along the booming Dulles Corridor (VW rumored to be moving US headquarters to DC area ). This all part of a massive restructuring plan for VW, of which a big part of the plan is to challenge Toyota. ...And VW feels, in order to do that, they may need a pickup truck in their product portfolio.
Full story here .
wenhead says:
05:27 AM, 09/13/07
Why not a fuel efficeient engine for the rabbit. Now, theres an idea. Quality, Quality,Quality. Rabbit engine, Gas Milage.
Blah pick up.
iskch says:
10:07 AM, 09/13/07
Hey VW! Import the models you already make in Brazil and Mexico for the car base pickups and put a Diesel engine. Add quality too!
ateixeira says:
01:06 PM, 09/13/07
So true, VW has sold the "Saveiro" picape in Brazil for ages, and successfully. It's based on their Gol (sold here as the Fox a while back).
That would be very light duty, low cost, though. A niche that nearly everyone vacated.
Problem with a Touareg-based pickup is it would be the most expensive by a loooong shot. Imagine a $40k compact pickup, it would fail worse than the Lincoln Mark LT did (twice).
desmolicious says:
01:09 PM, 09/13/07
Yeah, that's the problem with VW. They need a pick up truck...
Ooo, oooo, a bet if they built a hover car, all will be well!
Seriously, I think the one thing they should have brought back was that cool retro VW Van concept that they showed a few years back. I remember being at the auto shows and that was what the public was asking about at the VW booths.
But, why give the public what they want? Hey, who wants a $35K Golf?!!!
kurtamaxxxguy says:
01:15 PM, 09/13/07
VW keeps talking about luxury models, pickup trucks and anything other than fixing the problems that got them into the situation they are now in.
Why don't they simply forget being a mass market brand in the USA, and import more of the niche models enthusiasts and "euro drivers" want, and are willing to pay big bucks for?
They should also, if possible, encourage franchise changes of some of their dealers to become Audi dealers, which is where the real "VW" action is these days but is hobbled by a tiny dealer network.
And as for them overtaking Toyota? Only if Toyota does incredibly stupid things, like letting their quality tank, or turn out models that are utter dogs (not too many of those lately). Meanwhile, GM and the other USA'ers learned good lessons from Toyota and the other Asian imports, and may end up with the improved "euro feel" models VW keeps floundering with here.
Don't get me wrong - I like many aspects of current VW's. If only they would learn some of Toyota's and Detroit's lessons !
trackwrex says:
05:39 PM, 09/13/07
Hey desmo, here's one: let's give them the Phaeton!!! Again!!! *rolls eyes* (no, no one will remember that it was a miserable FAILURE here in the US...)
estreka says:
12:34 PM, 09/14/07
Better yet, let's redesign the Passat so that it looks more like an old Intrepid. Then they can sell it for $40K a pop.
desmolicious says:
04:13 PM, 09/14/07
What is amazing is that these VW execs calling the shots are getting huge salaries not matter it seems how many big $$ mistakes they make.
In my 'lowly' job, I'd get canned in a heart beat if I broke the toaster oven in the employee dining room!
Instead of trying to push VeeDub in directions it shouldn't go, they should create a separate luxury nameplate like Toyota did with Lexus. Hmm, maybe call it something like 'Innie'. Oh, I've got it, howzabout "Audi"?
;)
puristsoul says:
11:11 PM, 10/19/07
Wow! A lot of VW bashing going on here. It's kind of sad considering we all are interested enough to follow the VW blog threads-hoping for a thread of hope. I don't think that (aside from reliability) their cars are half bad either. But, apparently we all have much higher expectations from the brand that brought us such gems. I hope they get someone in there with a good strategy soon. Because, with jabs like these, they won't be around forever.