Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1998 16:05:27 EDT
Reply-To: CarlMarin@AOL.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: CarlMarin@AOL.COM
Subject: New Vanagon?
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I had a thought today as I drove by some poor slob's new EuroVan that it would
be a masterstroke of genius for VW to bring back the Vanagon slightly restyled
perhaps and with the 2.0L inline four engine for the US market. Sell the
thing for about 20% less than the EuroVan and I think there would be huge
demand. The EuroVan was the VW attempt to snag a share of that Chrysler
minivan market. Well, Duh! People that want Chrysler minivans buy Chrysler
minivans! What some strategic planning weanie is missing about lackluster
Vanagon sales in the '80's is that all VW products were selling badly back
then. Cost to bring the Vanagon back? Next to nil I would think, just import
them from South Africa if nothing else. The design of the EV was also
supposed to be easier for mom and the kids to get into and out of, just like a
Chrysler minivan. Well, look at what people are buying now, the mom's most of
all. Huge sport utility vehicles like the Expedition and that hideous Mercury
Navigator that actually have running boards and steps to get up into them.
Mom wants an urban Armored Personnel Carrier today. The Vanagon had always
given its owners that head and shoulders above the traffic feel.
The article about the Eurospec inline 4 engine conversion made me see that
that might well be the "perfect" Vanagon in the end. If you took away all the
problems the Vanagon has had associated with the Wasserboxer what else would
there be of any consequence? Would it be the perfect van? Certainly for that
segment of the population that wouldn't be caught dead or naked in a Chrysler
minivan it would be. That picture of the blue Eurospec Vanagon with the Euro
grill and SA alloys in European Car magazine could be the next US market VW
Van! Show of hands. If given a choice between a 1999 brand new Vanagon and
a shiney new Eurovan at 20% higher cost which would you plunk down money for?
With the excitement generated by the new Beetle what VW needs is an affordable
and unique van, just as they have always had in the past. The Vanagon could
still be it, even share the same inline 8V 2.0L engine. Think of it! Common
engine between the Beetle and the Bus, its 1959 all over again! Sorry,
Eurovanners but I think the EV was the answer to a question no one was asking.
I guess they could always sell both so the Eurovan executives don't loose
face.
Recall that it was consumer outrage and activism that got the present
generation Mustang built. Ford was going to drop the V8 rear wheel drive
Mustang and rebadge the Probe as a Mustang until the enthusiast mail started
rolling in. I think Ford is glad they listened to their customers for once.
You think VW will ever be caught actually listening to its customers? The new
Beetle makes me think there is hope for VW afterall.
What do you think?
Carl Turner
84 and 85 Westies