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Date:         Sat, 1 Dec 2007 11:13:24 -0500
Reply-To:     robert feller <syncro.carboncow@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         robert feller <syncro.carboncow@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: [T2] What is VW Thinking?
Comments: To: Greg Potts <greg@pottsfamily.ca>
In-Reply-To:  <760E0815-2345-4E60-AE47-898C685B8374@pottsfamily.ca>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Vw has always done a poor job of marketing it's vans in NA. Based on this story they have now recognized (20 years to late) the need and push. I'm sure it will have the Vw look evening knowing it's a boring Chrysler platform and power train but that is what they have to do to keep costs low, otherwise they'll be selling $40,000 mini vans, which won't fly vs. a honda. Lets not forget how incredible the Phanton is but the Vw brand and $100,000 vehicles didn't work for the NA market. I'll go Porsche first...

I hope they are not to late as many Americans are staying away from the baby boomer trend of mini vans and SUV and going to the more fuel economical cross over vehicles. Hope Vw has one of those in the works as the Toureg is just to expensive for most Vw enthusiasts. I'd love to have one but I'd buy a 3 year Porsche Cayenne first!

I do agree with Greg that many of the Jetta generation will want something but in my case (and neighborhood) those people had no problem going to Passet Wagons for baby needs, others went with the Honda van for sure. Does anyone know how "mini van" sales are doing in the USA these days? Flat, growing or dropping? Where I livin in yuppieville Columbus Ohio we see less and less every day...

Lastly putting it on this platform will offend the Vw purists for sure but they (we) are a very small market for Vw (the young yuppies and hipsters are what Jettas are about) and we most likely are not who they are trying to attract. Look at what we buy, old cool junk...so many of us on this list don't count. I drive Saabs primarily and buy Vanagon/Eurovan and Porsches because Saab doesn't have those products in their lineup here. Vw suffers from the same concerns as Saab with products to grow their market. At the same time GM Saab has helped sales (some what) and quality but the purists hates the new Saabs and the generic platforms they come on (Suburu, Saturn and Trail Blazers). Although GM did identify the Saab SUV need (poorly) they should have thought about "safe" mini vans to. A bad market choice in my opinion, but I digress...

So Vw better watch out letting people who want European engineering know they are driving a Chrysler Town and Country! Mercedes doesn't own Chrysler anymore, so it's not cool to own a Chrysler again!

Lucky Canucks get the business, good for them.

On Dec 1, 2007 10:41 AM, Greg Potts <greg@pottsfamily.ca> wrote:

> Hi Pete, > > Maybe they are thinking: > > > "Sure wish I had a van on the lot that I could sell to the new > parents who bought Jetta's and Golf's from me 2 years ago. I could > make a bundle on the trade-in." > > "With Barbie and Ken's relationship in tatters, I guess we should > bury that "new microbus" idea. Barbie has completely ruined it for > us. We are going to need something more conventional". > > "VW customers are demanding a van imported from a foreign country > with a high-value currency. Let's build it in Canada!!" > > > I can't wait to see if they do a camper conversion. Before long > people will be doing winni-fakias based on older chryslers, and the > world will spin off its axis.... > > Happy Trails, > > Greg Potts > 1973/74/77/79 Westfakia "Bob The Tomato > www.pottsfamily.ca > www.busesofthecorn.com > > > > On 1-Dec-07, at 10:21 AM, Peter T. Owsianowski wrote: > > > http://www.caranddriver.com/autoshows/14375/2009-volkswagen- > > minivan.html >


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