The price reductions have helped the Jetta V hold its own in sales (although they aren't selling like the MK IV's, they're no longer dropping, either). It seems now that the Passat is more critiscized for its styling than the Jetta. They have really dropped off, and that's not good when you consider that it is only in its second year. Hopefully, it will go back to the styling of the last generation. I was scared at the end of Jan 2007, when NB sales were down 25% from Jan 2006, but now for Feb, the deficit has been reduced to 7% (Y-T-D, 2007 vs. 2006). 10 months is plenty of time for the NB to catch up and even surpass 2006 numbers. And if the NB continues to sell in the 35K unit range per year, this should alleviate fears of it being redesigned in a non-Beetle style by 2010 (I hope).
|