Date:         Thu, 13 Jun 2002 18:11:03 -0400
Reply-To:     The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Subject:      Re: The new "microbus" sucks ... a misunderstanding
In-Reply-To:  <005601c21323$6515b620$486f23c7@oemcomputer>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

> The new Microbus will replace the current VW Sharan/SEAT Alhambra/Ford
> Galaxy seven-seater "people carriers" that are built in VAG's factory in
> Portugal.  As far as I know, they have never been sold in the USA.  The
new
> Microbus will NOT replace the Eurovan, known here as the T4.



Is that the case?  The following article seems to imply otherwise.  It says
that (as of that writing, about 3 weeks ago), the Microbus might indeed be
based on the T5 (the successor to the T4).  It also says that the Microbus
we see in the U.S. may be completely different from (and larger than) the
one sold in Europe.  This would make me suspect that, if VW went ahead with
that scenario, the U.S. replacement for the T4 could indeed be a T5-derived
Microbus - even if other, different T5 derivatives were offered in Europe.

"Individually, the next Sharan, Transporter and new Microbus wouldn’t
generate enough sales volume to make business sense, VW executives say. So
VW is considering basing all three models on its new T5 commercial-vehicle
platform. ... VW is considering two derivatives of the Microbus: a large
version for North America and a smaller version for Europe with a shorter
wheelbase and narrower body, a VW source says. "

http://autoweek.com/cat_content.mv?port_code=autoweek&cat_code=carnews&loc_c
ode=&content_code=09961698

- Ron Salmon
  The Bus Depot, Inc.
  (215) 234-VWVW
  www.busdepot.com

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