It is not suprising about Vw rethinking the Microbus. As others noted - it was never realistic that VW could deliver the van for much less than $30,000US - instantly relegating it to "boutique" status [ low sales ]
i have a hunch that not many people on this list would be ready to cough up [ hmmmm..maybe...] $37,000 for a Microbus westy [ wrong?]
Other articles lately also highlight that the super fancy Phaeton product / factory circus / bentley programs and the slow european golf 5 sales have left VW in a serious cash pinch. thier US arm is now resorting to incentives to stop a sales slide. http://www.detnews.com/2004/autosinsider/0404/19/a01-126902.htm I am recieved 2 "personal" letters last month from my dealer asking [ begging..] me to come down a trade in my 2001 TurboLemon Golf for any VW they have on their lot. [ A Toureg for $20,000 might do it...]
Too bad - the Microbus woulda been much better than a silly Phaeton.
.02
Tom ---------- From: Vanagon Mailing List on behalf of Chris S. Reply To: Chris S. Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2004 11:00 AM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Re: microbus is dead NVC Hermann, How about a link for those of us who can read German? Chris. > Just read online in a German magazine that VW boss pulled the plug on the > microbus. Instead they will develop something on the T5 base. The retro > look just doesn't sell in Europe, and the US market is not enough to > warrant another retro model.Hermann de Boer > Kansas City,Missouri > 87 Westy "Eurospec" > 89 Syncro GL > "...even if you win the rat race, you are still a rat..." > FREE pop-up blocking with the new MSN Toolbar - get it now! > |
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